LIBRARY 

OF    THE 

UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA. 
Class 


l^z&p&06 


VBR  ART* 

V    OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY 

or 


Entrance  to   Marble  Cave. 

Page  25. 


Cave  Regions 


or    tus 


OzarksssBlackHills 


BY 


LUELLA  AGNES  OWEN. 


Membre  titulaire  cle  la  Societe  de  Speleologie,  a  nd 
Fellow  of  the   American    Geographical  Society. 

CINCINNATI. 
THE  EDITOR  PUBLISHING  CO. 

1898. 


PFNERA1 


Copyrighted 
Tab  Editor  Publishing  Company. 

1898. 


TO 

MY  MOTHER 

THIS  BOOK  IS  AFFECTIONATELY 

DEDICATED. 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 

in  2008  with  funding  from 

Microsoft  Corporation 


http://www.archive.org/details/caveregionsofozaOOowenrich 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER. 

PAGE 

I 

A  General  View        - 

1 

II 

Marble  Cave        - 

25 

III 

Marble  Cave  Continued 

43 

IV 

Fairy  Cave  and  Powell  Cave 

58 

V 

Other  Stone  County  Caves    - 

■    73 

VI 

Oregon  County  Caves 

82 

VII 

The  Grand  Gulf 

95 

VIII 

The  Black  Hills  and  Bad  Lands 

103 

IX 

Wind  Cave        - 

113 

X 

Wind  Cave  Continued 

127 

XI 

U                   U                             U 

141 

XII 

"         tfc      Concluded 

151 

XIII 

The  Onyx  Caves    - 

162 

XIV 

Crystal  Cave        .-'.-- 

175 

XV 

"    Concluded 

183 

XVI 

Conclusion        - 

211 

Cave  Regions  of 

THE  OZARKS  AND  BLACK  HILLS. 


CHAPTER  I. 

A    GENERAL    VIEW. 

"  O'er  mountains  bright  with  snow  and  light, 

We  crystal  hunters  speed  along, 

While  grots,  and  caves,  and  icy  waves, 

Each  instant  echo  to  our  song; 

And  when  we  meet  with  stores  of  gems 

We  grudge  not  kings  their  diadems." 

— Thomas  Moore. 

The  southern  half  of  the  State  of  Missouri, 
and  the  Black  Hills  of  South  Dakota,  offer 
exceptionally  delightful  regions  for  the  study  of 
caves,  or  Speleology  as  it  has  been  named,  and 
the  sister  sciences  of  geology  and  geography  at 
the  same  time.  In  fact  it  is  impossible  to  study 
either  without  giving  attention  to  the  other 
two,  and  therefore,  instead  of  being  separate 
sciences,  they  are  the  three  branches  of  a  great 
scientific  trinity. 

The  regions  here  referred  to  enjoy  the  advan- 


2  Cave  Regions  of  the 

tage,  and  at  the  same  time  suffer  the  disadvan- 
tage, of  being  comparatively  little  known  to  the 
ever  restless  tide  of  tourists  who  naturally  hail 
with  pleasure  the  announcement  that  some  easily 
accessible,  and  thoroughly  charming  spot,  has 
escaped  their  attention  altogether,  with  a 
marvelous  store  of  attractions  which  are  both 
extremely  old  and  wholly  new. 

Each  of  these  regions  has  a  peculiar  geologi- 
cal history  not  repeated  in  any  other  portions  of 
the  earth's  surface :  each  is  blessed  with  its  own 
peculiar  style  of  beautiful  scenery :  and  each 
vies  with  the  other  and  all  the  world  besides  for 
the  supremacy  of  its  truly  wonderful  caves. 
Yet  it  should  be  well  understood  that  the  claims 
are  not  based  on  an  unworthy  spirit  of  rivalry, 
nor  any  desire  to  deny  the  greatness  and  beauty 
of  already  famous  members  of  the  Cave  family. 
It  is  simply  an  announcement  that  the  family  is 
much  larger  than  has  been  generally  supposed, 
and  the  more  recently  presented  members  worthy 
of  the  full  measure  of  distinguished  honors. 

The  geological  authorities  of  both  states  have 
for  many  years  mentioned  the  beauty  and  im- 
portance of  these  regions,  and  urged  their  claims 
to  public  attention,  but  have  been  prevented, 
by  the  pressure  of  other  duties,  from  giving  to 
the  caves  such  careful  study  and  full  reports  as 
they  deserve,  as  it  would  have  been  a  pleasure 
to  give,  and  as  has  been  possible  in  states  of  less 


Ozarks  and  Black  HilU.  8 

extent  where  the  general  work  of  the  depart- 
ment is  more  advanced,  and  the  volume  of  tour- 
ist travel  created  an  early  demand  for  scientific 
explanation. 

Without  any  great  difficulty  we  can  under- 
stand the  process  of  cave  excavation  by  the 
action  of  percolating  acidulated  water  on  the 
limestone,  and  its  subsequent  removal  as  the 
volume  of  surface  drainage  diverted  to  the  new 
channel  gradually  increased.  But  it  is  not  so 
easy  to  offer  a  reason  for  the  varied  forms  with 
which  the  caves  are  afterwards  decorated.  Why 
is  it  the  charmed  waters  do  not  leave  the  evi- 
dence of  their  slow  passage  only  in  plain 
surfaces  of  varying  widths,  and  the  stalactites 
and  stalagmites  whose  formation  we  can  readily 
account  for?  And  why  do  not  the  deposits  take 
the  same  forms  in  all  caves  with  only  such 
variations  as  would  naturally  result  from  differ- 
ences in  topography?  The  law  is  written,  but 
in  unfamiliar  characters  that  render  our  reading 
slow  and  uncertain.  Yet  it  is  conspicuously 
noticeable  that  those  caves  showing  the  most 
delicately  fragile  and  wonderfully  varied  forms 
of  decoration  are  those  traversed  by  the  most 
sweeping  and  changeable,  or  even  reversible, 
currents  of  air ;  which  might  lead  to  the  con- 
clusion that  the  moisture  is  sprayed  or  converted 
into  a  light,  misty  vapor,  and  then  deposited  in 
exactly  the  same  manner  as  the  beautiful  frost- 


4  Cave  Begions  of  the 

work  at  Niagara:  the  direction  and  force  of  the 
current  determining  the  location  of  the  frail 
deposits. 

Since  the  largest  and  most  important  caves 
occur  in  limestone,  a  little  special  attention  to 
the  cause  of  their  occurrence  there  may  serve  to 
show  that  although  speleology  has  only  recently 
received  its  name  and  been  elevated  to  the  rank 
of  a  separate  and  independent  science,  it  is  one 
of  the  earth's  ancient  institutions. 

Our  geologists,  who  have  unearthed  many 
secrets  not  dreamed  of  even  in  Humboldt's 
"good  phylosopy,"  have  settled  the  question 
of  how  the  different  kinds  of  caves  were  formed, 
according  to  the  character  of  rocks  they  are  in, 
or  their  location  and  depth,  and  the  natural 
agencies  to  whose  action  they  show  signs  of 
having  been  subjected. 

Dr.  H.  C.  Hovey,  in  his  "Celebrated  Ameri- 
can Caverns,"  says:  "In  visiting  caves  of 
large  extent,  one  is  at  first  inclined  to  regard 
the  long  halls,  huge  rifts,  deep  pits  and  lofty 
domes,  as  evidences  of  great  convulsions  of 
nature,  whereby  the  earth  has  been  violently 
rent  asunder.  But,  while  mechanical  forces 
have  had  their  share  in  the  work,  as  has  been 
shown,  the  main  agent  in  every  case  has  been 
the  comparatively  gentle,  invisible  gas  known  as 
carbonic  acid.  This  is  generated  by  the  decay 
of  animal  and  vegetable   substances,  and  is  to  a 


Ozarks  and  Black  Hills.  5 

considerable  degree  soluble  in  water.  Under 
ordinary  circumstances  one  measure  of  water 
will  absorb  one  measure  of  carbonic  acid;  and 
the  eye  will  detect  no  difference  in  its  appear- 
ance. Under  pressure  the  power  of  absorption 
is  rapidly  increased,  until  the  water  thus  sur- 
charged has  an  acid  taste,  and  effervesces  on 
flowing  from  the  earth,  as  in  Saratoga  water. 

"Rain-water,  falling  amid  leaves  and  grass, 
and  sinking  into  the  soil,  absorbs  large  quanti- 
ties of  carbonic  acid.  On  reaching  the  under- 
lying limestone,  the  latter  is  instantly  attacked 
by  the  acidulated  water  in  which  it  is  dissolved 
and  carried  away. 

"  It  is  agreed  among  geologists,  amazing  as 
the  statement  may  seem,  that  the  immense 
caverns  of  Virginia,  Kentucky  and  Indiana, 
including  Mammoth  Cave  itself  (the  largest  of 
all),  were  eaten  out  of  the  solid  mass  of  lime- 
stone by  the  slow,  patient,  but  irresistible  action 
of  acidulated  water." 

Professor  N.  S.  Shaler  says:  "  The  existence 
of  deep  caverns  is  a  sign  that  the  region  has 
long  been  above  the  sea." 

Through  the  kindness  of  Professor  C.  J.  Nor- 
wood, Chief  Inspector  and  Curator  of  the 
Geological  Department  of  Kentucky,  it  is  possi- 
ble to  quote  the  first  official  report  made  on  the 
caves  of  that  state  and  published  in  1856,  in 
Volume  I., Kentucky  Geological  Survey  Reports. 


6  Cave  Begioiis  of  the 

Dr.  Norwood  says:  "Referring  to  the  'Sub- 
carboniferous  Limestone  '  (now  known  as  the 
St.  Louis  group  of  the  Mississippian  series),  Dr. 
Owen  says  :  '  The  southern  belt  of  this  forma- 
tion is  wonderfully  cavernous,  especially  in  its 
upper  beds,  which  being  more  argillaceous,  and 
impregnated  with  earths  and  alkalies,  are 
disposed  to  produce  salts,  which  oozing  through 
the  pores  of  the  stone  effloresce  on  its  surface, 
and  thus  tend  to  disintegrate  and  6cale  off, 
independent  of  the  solvent  effects  of  the 
carbonated  water.  Beneath  overhanging  ledges 
of  limestone,  quantities  of  fine  earthy  rubbish 
can  be  seen,  weathered  off  from  such  causes. 
In  these  I  have  detected  sulphate  of  lime,  sul- 
phate of  magnesia,  nitrate  of  lime,  and  occa- 
sionally sulphate  of  soda.  The  tendency  which 
some  calcareous  rocks  have  to  produce  nitrate  of 
lime  is,  probably,  one  of  the  greatest  causes  of 
disintegration.'  " 

"  Most  extensive  subterranean  areas  thus  have 
been  excavated  or  undermined  in  Edmonson, Hart, 
Grayson,  Butler,  Logan,  Todd,  Christian  and 
Trig.  In  the  vicinity  of  Green  River,  in  the 
first  of  these  counties,  the  known  avenues  of  the 
Mammoth  Cave  amount  to  two  hundred  and 
twenty-three,  the  united  length  of  the  whole  be- 
ing estimated,  by  those  best  acquainted  with 
the  Cave,  at  one  hundred  and  fifty  miles; 
say  that  the  average  width  and  height  of  these 


Ozarks  and  Black  Hills.  7 

passages  amount  to  seven  yards  each  way, 
which  is  perhaps  near  the  truth ;  this  would 
give  upwards  of  twelve  million  cubic  yards  of 
cavernous  space  which  has  been  excavated 
through  the  agency  of  calcareous  waters  and 
atmospheric  vicissitudes." 

Page  169:  "On  the  south  side  of  Green  River 
the  platform  of  limestone  forming  the  descent 
into  Mammoth  Cave  is  two  hundred  and 
thirty-two  feet  above  Green    River." 

"  The  entrance  to  the  cave,  being  thirty- 
eight  feet  lower  than  this  bed  of  lime- 
stone, is  one  hundred  and  ninty-four  feet 
above  Green  River.  In  the  above  two  hun- 
dred and  thirty-two  feet  there  are  several 
heavy  masses  of  sandstone,  viz:  at  one  hun- 
dred and  twenty-five,  one  hundred  and  forty- 
five,  one  hundred  and  fifty, one  hundred  and  sixty 
and  two  hundred  and  fifteen  feet, but  it  is  proba- 
ble that  most  of  these  have  tumbled  from  higher 
positions  in  the  hill,  as  no  alterations  of  sand- 
stone have  been  observed  at  these  levels  in  the 
cave.  From  an  elevation  of  from  two  hun- 
dred and  forty  to  two  hundred  and  fifty  feet, 
the  prevalent  rock  is  sandstone  without 
pebbles,  which  can  be  seen  extending  up 
to  three  hundred  and  twelve  feet  to  the 
foundation  of  the  Cave  Hotel.  The 
united  thickness  of  the  limestone  beds  on  this 
part     of     Green     River,      is    about    two   hun- 


8  Cave  Begions  of  the 

dred  and  thirty  feet,  capped  with  eighty 
feet  of  sandstone.  About  midway  of  the 
section  on  this  part  of  Green  River,  are 
limestones  of  an  obscure  oolitic  structure,  but 
no  true  oolite  was  observed.  Many  of  these 
limestones  are  of  such  composition  as  to  be 
acted  on  freely  by  the  elements  of  the  atmos- 
phere, which,  in  the  form  of  nitric  acid,  com- 
bine with  the  earthy  and  alkaline  bases  of  cal- 
careous rock,  and  give  rise  to  the  formation  of 
nitrates  with  the  liberation  of  carbonic  acid ; 
hence  the  disintegrated  rubbish  of  the  caves 
yields  nitrate  of  potash  after  being  treated  with 
the  ley  of  ashes  and  subsequent  evaporation  of 
the  saline  lixivium.  The  wonderfully  caver- 
nous character  of  the  subcarboniferous  lime- 
stones of  the  Green  River  valley,  and,  indeed, 
of  these  particular  members  of  the  subcarbonif- 
erous group  throughout  a  great  part  of  its  range 
in  Kentucky  and  Indiana,  is  due  in  a  great 
measure  to  this  cause,  together  with  the  solvent 
and  eroding  effects  of  water  charged  with  car- 
bonic acid.  The  'rock-houses'  frequently  en- 
countered both  in  this  formation  and  in  the 
limestones  of  Silurian  date,  are  produced  by 
similar  causes;  the  more  easily  disintegrated 
beds  gradually  crumbling  away,  while  the  more 
durable  remain  in  overhanging  ledges.  By  the 
oxidation  of  other  elements,  sulphates  of  oxide 
of  iron  and  alkalies   result,   which,    by   double 


Ozarks  and  Black  Hills.  9 

decomposition,  with  carbonate  of  lime,  give 
rise  to  the  formation  of  gypsums  which  appears 
in  the  form  of  rosettes,  festoons  and  various 
other  imitative  forms  on  the  walls  and  ceilings  of 
the  caves.  Crystallizations  of  sulphate  of 
soda  and  sulphate  of  magnesia  are  not  uncom- 
mon, both  in  some  of  the  caves  and  in  sheltered 
situations  under  shelving  rocks." 

The  explanations  thus  given  of  the  excava- 
tion and  subsequent  refilling  and  decoration 
of  the  limestone  caves  of  Kentucky  and  Indi- 
ana apply  equally  well  to  those  of  other  states ; 
but  it  is  to  be  remembered  that  at  the  time  of 
Dr.  Owen's  report,  onyx,  the  most  beautiful 
and  valuable  of  dripstones,  had  not  yet  been 
discovered  in  the  United  States ;  while  now  es- 
pecially fine  deposits  are  known  in  California, 
Utah,  Missouri,  South  Dakota  and  Arkansas ; 
the  Missouri  supply  being  exceptionally  valua- 
ble on  account  of  the  marvelous  delicacy  and 
beauty  of  its  coloring;  nor  can  it  soon  be  ex- 
hausted, as  deposits  have  been  found  in  eight 
counties  and  further  exploration  will  no  doubt 
discover  more. 

Concerning  the  Subcarboniferous,  or  Missis- 
sippian  Series  in  Part  I., Vol.  IV.,  Missouri  Geo- 
logical Survey,  Dr.  C.  R.  Keyes  says  :  "  In  the 
great  interior  basin  of  the  Mississippi  the  basal 
series  is  exposed  more  or  less  continuously    over 


10  Cave  Regions  of  the 

broad  areas,   extending  from  northern  Iowa  to 
Alabama,  and  from  Ohio  to  Mexico." 

While  this  broadly  extended  series  of  lime- 
stone is  honey-combed  in  many  places  and  all 
directions  by  wonderful  caverns,  those  of  the 
Ozark  regions  in  Missouri,  although  compara- 
tively little  known,  are  well  worth  knowing, 
and  are  possibly  the  most  ancient  limestone 
caves  in  the  world.  Of  the  region  in  which 
they  occur,  Dr.  Keyes,  in  the  volume  last  quoted, 
says:  "The  chief  typographical  feature  of  the 
state  has  long  been  known  in  the  Ozark  uplift,  a 
broad  plateau  with  gentle  quaquaversal  slopes 
rising  to  a  height  of  more  than  one  thousand 
five  hundred  feet  above  mean  tide,  and 
extending  almost  entirely  across  the  south- 
ern part  of  the  district.  On  all  sides 
the  borders  of  this  highland  area  are  deeply 
grooved  by  numberless  streams  flowing  in  nar- 
row gorges.  Against  its  nucleus  of  very  an- 
cient granites  and  porphyries  the  Ozark 
series  of  magnesian  limestone  was  laid 
down.  Then  the  area  occupied  by  these 
rocks  was  elevated,  and  around  its  margins 
were  deposited  successively  the  other  members 
of  the  Paleozoic.  The  Ozark  region  was 
thus  the  first  land  to  appear  within  the 
borders  of  the  present  state  of  Missouri."  He 
further  says:  "Although  it  has  long  been  known 
that  the  Magnesian  Limestones  are  older  than  the 


Ozarks  and  Black  Hills.  11 

Trenton,  and  that  they  lie  immediately  upon 
and  against  the  Archaean  crystallines  uncomform- 
ably,  their  exact  geological  age  has  always 
remained  unsettled.  There  seems  to  "be  but 
little  doubt,  however,  that  part  of  the  series  is 
equivalent  to  the  Calciferous  of  other  regions. 
It  is  also  pretty  well  determined  that  certain  of 
the  lower  beds,  all  below  the  *  Saccharoidal ' 
Sandstone  perhaps,  are  representatives  of  the 
Upper  Cambrian  or  Potsdam.  These  conclusions 
appear  well  grounded  both  upon  stratigraphical 
and  faunal  evidence.  The  rocks  of  the  Ozark 
region  have  not  as  yet  received  the  necessary 
detailed  study  to  enable  the  several  lines  of  de- 
markation  to  be  drawn  with  certainty.  This 
investigation  is  now  being  carried  on  as  rapidly 
as  possible,  and  promises  very  satisfactory  and 
interesting  results  in  the  near  future." 

"The  early  geological  reports  represent  the 
Magnesian  Limestone  series  as  made  up  of  seven 
members.  Following  Swallow,  these  may  be 
briefly  described  in  the  present  connection.  Be- 
ginning at  the  top,  they  are: 

First  Magnesian  Limestone. 

First,  or  Saccharoidal  Sandstone. 

Second  Magnesian  Limestone. 

Second  Sandstone. 

Third  Magnesian  Limestone. 

Third  Sandstone. 

Fourth  Limestone." 


12  Cave  Regions  of  the 

"The  Fourth"  Magnesian  Limestone, or  lowest 
number  of  the  Ozark  series  recognized,  has  its 
typical  exposures  along  the  Niangua  and  Osage 
rivers  in  Morgan  and  Camden  counties. 

Professor  Swallow,  in  his  Missouri  Geological 
Survey  Reports  I.  and  IT,  1853  and  1854,  says: 
"Cave3,  natural  bridges  and  subterranean 
streams  occur  in  the  valley  of  the  Osage  and  its 
tributaries."  The  same  authority  of  forty  years 
ago  also  mentions  that  "Some  of  the  grandest 
scenery  in  the  State  is  produced  by  the  high 
castellated  and  mural  bluffs  of  this  (Third  Mag- 
nesian Limestone)  Formation,  on  the  Niangua 
and  the  Osage."  Another  reference  to  the 
scenery  on  these  rivers  describes  it  as  "Wild 
and  grand,  beautiful  and  unique  ;"  with  "gaudy- 
colored  bluffs."  In  the  section  on  building 
materials  he  remarks;  "One  of  the  most 
desirable  of  the  Missouri  marbles  is  in  the  Third 
Magnesian  Limestone  on  the  Niangua.  It  is 
fine-grained,  crystalline,  silico-magnesian  lime- 
stone of  a  light  drab,  slightly  tinged  with  peach- 
blossom,  and  beautifully  clouded  with  the  same 
hue  or  flesh  color.  It  is  twenty  feet  thick  and 
crops  out  in  the  bluffs.  This  marble  is  rarely 
surpassed  in  the  qualities  which  fit  it  for  orna- 
mental architecture." 

The  Ozarks  in  the  extreme  southern  portion  of 
the  state  are  even  less  known  to  the  world,  but 
the  scenery  is    grand,    the    climate    delightful, 


Ozarks  and  Black  Hills.  13 

and  the  caves  worthy  of  a  visit  for  themselves 
alone.  The  State  of  Missouri  being  one  third 
larger  than  England,  and  of  equal  size  to  Switz- 
erland, Holland,  Belgium  and  Denmark  combined, 
it  is  not  surprising  that  interesting  discoveries 
are  still  to  be  expected. 

The  climate  is  so  varied  on  account  of  the 
range  in  latitude  and  altitude,  and  the  natural 
resources  are  so  great,  the  claim  has  been  made 
that  if  the  State  were  surrounded  by  an  impas- 
sable wall,  its  citizens  need  not  be  deprived  of 
any  article  necessary  to  a  refined  and  luxurious 
mode  of  living:  and  according  to  Mr.  Henry 
Gannett  in  "The  Building  of  a  Nation,"  the 
population  in  1890  was  73.42  per  cent,  native 
whites  of  native  parents,  the  colored  a  little  less 
than  6  per  cent.,  and  nearly  two-thirds  of  the 
balance,  native  born  of  parents,  one  or  both  of 
whom  were  foreign. 

Although  the  Ozark  region  has  not  yet  received 
sufficient  attention  to  dull  its  charm  for  the 
explorer,  the  fact  has  been  established  that  its 
earliest  sedimentary  rocks  are  of  the  Cambrian 
Age  and  still  occupy  mainly  the  position  in 
which  they  were  originally  deposited.  Therefore 
we  need  not  be  surprised  to  discover  that  6ome, 
at  least,  of  the  excavations  are  proportionately 
ancient;  and  that  the  Natural  Bridges  are  the 
last  remaining  positive  evidence  of  their  former 
existence  and  final  collapse.     That  the  Natural 


14  Cave  Regions  of  the 

Bridges  of  Missouri  mark  the  destruction  of 
more  ancient  caves  than  the  one  preserved  to 
geological  history  by  Virginia's  grand  attraction, 
seems  quite  evident.  The  greater  age  of  the 
rocks  indicates  the  possibility  of  earlier  excava- 
tion while  their  undisturbed  position  suggests 
that  destruction  resulted,  not  from  violent  earth 
movement,  but  from  the  slow  action  of  agencies 
requiring  long  periods  of  time. 

Before  proceeding  to  a  discussion  of  the 
caves  visited  personally  for  the  gratification  of 
private  interest,  it  is  desirable  to  know  what 
attention  has  been  given  to  the  subject,  inci- 
dentally, in  the  course  of  regular  official  duty  on 
the  Missouri  Geological  Survey. 

OAVES    DESCRIBED    IN    THE    STATE    REPORTS. 

Although  many  unknown  caves  must  yet  be 
discovered  in  the  imperfectly  explored  portions 
of  the  vast  Ozark  forests,  these  finds  are  already 
so  numerous  as  to  seldom  attract  attention 
according  to  their  just  deserts. 

One  of  the  comparatively  recent  of  these  dis- 
coveries is  Crystal  Cave,  at  Joplin,  described  on 
page  566,  Vol.  VII.,  Missouri  Geological  Survey 
Report  1894.*  It  was  opened  in  the  lower  work- 
ings of  a  shaft  of  the  Empire  Zinc  Company,  and 
"The  entire  surface  of  the  cave,  top,  sides 
and  bottom,  is    lined   with    calcite    crystals,    so 

''Lead  and  Zinc.    Prof.  C.  R.  Keyec 


Ozarks  and  Black  Hills.  15 

closely  packed  together  as  to  form  a  continuous 
sheet  and  most  of  them  of  great  size,  and  well 
formed  faces.  Scalenohedra  as  much  as  two  feet 
long  are  sometimes  seen,  and  others  a  foot  or 
more  in  length  are  common.  Planes  or  crystal 
ghosts,  sometimes  with  pyrite  crystals,  marking 
stages  of  growth  in  the  calcite  crystals,  are  often 
distinguishable.  The  entire  absence  of  any- 
thing like  stalactites  is  noticeable,  and  together 
with  the  presence  of  the  crystals,  show  that  the 
cave  was  completely  filled  with  water  during 
their  growth."  In  the  same  volume,  all  those 
counties  in  the  extreme  southwest  corner  of  the 
state,  whoee  geological  age  has  not  heretofore 
been  considered  positively  determined,  are 
mapped  as  Lower  Carboniferous,  and  Lower  Silur- 
ian, with  the  Coal  Measures  covering  portions  of 
Barton  and  Jasper  and  appearing  in  a  few  small, 
scattered  spots  in  Dade,  Polk,  Green  and  Chris- 
tian counties,  and  some  scantv  lines  of  Devonian 
fringing  the  edges  of  the  Silurian  in  Barton  and 
McDonald. 

Other  State  report.3  make  mention  of  many 
caves  and  fine  springs,  and  also  several  natural 
bridges  worthy  of  special  notice.  In  Mr.  G.  C. 
Broadhead's  report  for  1873-1874,  he  gives  a 
short  but  interesting  chapter  on  caves  and  water 
supplies,  in  which  he  says  that  "Caves  occur  in 
the  Third   Magnesian  Limestone,    Saccharoidal 


16  Cave  Begions  of  the 

Sandstone,    Trenton,    Lithographic,    Encrinital 
and  St.  Louis  Limestone." 

"In  Eastern  and  Northeast  Missouri  there 
have  not  been  found  many  large  eaves  in  the 
Encrinital  Limestone,  but  the  lower  beds  of  this 
formation  in  Southwest  Missouri  often  enclose 
very  large  caverns;  among  the  latter  may  be 
included  the  caves  of  Green  County  with  some 
in  Christian  and  McDonald.  Those  in  McDonald 
I  have  not  seen,  but  they  are  reported  to  be  very 
extensive  and  probably  are  situated  in  the 
Encrinital  Limestone." 

Under  the  hea'd  of  "Special  Descriptions"  he 
says:  "On  Sac  River,  in  the  north  part  of 
Green  County,  we  find  a  cave  with  two  en- 
trances, one  at  the  foot  of  a  hill,  opening 
toward  Sac  River,  forty-five  feet  high  and  eighty 
feet  wide.  The  other  entrance  is  from  the  hill- 
top, one  hundred  and  fifty  feet  back  from  the  face 
of  the  bluff.  These  two  passages  unite.  The 
exact  dimensions  of  the  cave  are  not  known,  but 
there  are  several  beautiful  and  large  rooms  lined 
with  stalactites  and  stalagmites  which  often 
assume  both  beautiful  and  grotesque  life-like 
forms.  The  cave  has  been  explored  for  several 
hundred  yards,  showing  the  formations  to  be 
thick  silicious  beds  of  the  Lower  Carboniferous 
formations." 

"Knox  cave,  in  Green  County,  is  said  to  be  of 


Ozarks  and  Black  Hills.  17 

large  dimensions.  I  have  not  seen  it,  but  some 
of  its  stalactites  are  quite  handsome." 

''Wilson's  Creek  sinks  beneath  the  Limestone 
and  appears  again  below." 

"There  are  several  caves  near  Ozark,  Christian 
County,  which  issue  from  the  same  formation 
as  those  in  Green  County.  On  a  branch  of 
Finly  Creek  a  stream  disappears  in  a  sink,  ap- 
pearing again  three-quarters  of  a  mile  southeast 
through  an  opening  sixty  feet  high  by  ninety- 
eight  feet  wide.  Up  stream  the  cave  continues 
this  size  for  ahundred  yards  and  then  decreases  in 
size,  and  for  the  next  quarter  of  a  mile  further 
it  is  generally  ten  by  fourteen  feet  wide.  A 
very  clear,  cool  stream  passes  out,  in  which  by 
careful  search  crawfish  without  eyes  can  be 
found." 

"There  is  another  cave  a  few  miles  south  of 
Ozark, and  another  ten  miles  southeast  occurs  in 
the  Magnesian  Limestone." 

"In  Boone  County  there  are  several  caves  in 
the  Encrinital  Limestone.  Conner's,  the  largest, 
is  said  to  have  been  explored  for  a  distance  of 
eight  miles." 

"In  Pike  and  Lincoln  there  are  several  small 
caves  occurring  in  the  upper  beds  of  Trenton 
Limestone,  which  are  often  very  cavernous.  On 
Sulphur  Fork  of  Cuivre,  there  is  a  cave  and 
Natural  Bridge,  to  which  parties  for  pleasure 
often  resort.     The  bridge  is  tubular  with  twenty 


18  Cave  Regions  of  the 

feet  between  the  walls,  and  is  one  hundred  feet 
long." 

"At  J.  P.  Fisher's  on  Spencer  Creek,  Ralls 
County,  there  is  a  cave  having  an  entrance  of 
ninety  feet  wide  by  twenty  feet  high.  The  Lower 
Trenton  beds  occupy  the  floor,  with  the  upper 
cavernous  beds  above.  On  the  bluff,  at  a  dis- 
tance of  one  hundred  and  fifty  yards  back,  there 
is  a  sink-hole  which  communicates  with  the  cave. 
Within  the  cave  is  a  cool,  clear  spring  of  water, 
and  Mr.  F.  said  he  could  keep  meat  fresh  there 
for  six  weeks  during  midsummer." 

"The  Third  Magnesian  Limestone  which  oc- 
cupies such  a  large  portion  of  Southwest  Mis- 
souri, often  contains  very  large  caves.  One  of 
them,  known  as  Friede's  cave,  is  six  or  eight 
miles  Northwest  of  Rolla,  on  Cave  Spring 
Creek." 

"It  is  said  to  have  been  explored  for  several 
miles,  but  I  only  passed  in  a  few  hundred  yards. 
The  stalactites  here  are  very  beautiful,  assuming 
the  structure  of  satin  spar.  A  very  clear  stream 
of  water  issues  out.  West  of  the  Gasconade,  on 
Clifty  Creek,  is  a  remarkable  Natural  Bridge 
which  I  have  elsewhere  described  in  Geological 
Survey  of  Missouri,  1855-71,  page  16." 

"Mr.  Meek  speaks  of  a  large  and  interesting 
cave  on  Tavern  Creek,  in  Miller  County.  Dr. 
Shumard  estimates  a  cave  on  Bryant's  Fork,  in 
Ozark  County,  to  be  a  mile  and  a  half  long." 


Ozarks  and  Black  Hills.  19 

This  description  of  Dr.  Shumard's  is  in  the 
Geological  Survey  of  Missouri,  1S55-71,  page 
196,  where  he  says: 

4 '  The  entrance  is  thirty-five  feet  wide  and  thir- 
ty feet  high,  and  is  situated  at  the  foot  of  a  per- 
pendicular cliff,  and  far  above  the  water-level  of 
Bryant.  Just  within  the  entrance  it  expands  to 
sixty  or  seventy  feet,  with  a  height  of  about  fifty 
feet;  and  this  part  of  the  cave  has  been  used 
by  the  citizens  of  the  county  as  a  place  for  hold- 
ing camp-meeting.  I  estimated  its  length  at  not 
far  short  of  one  mile  and  a  half.  The  main 
passage  is  in  general  quite  spacious,  the  roof 
elevated,  and  the  floor  tolerably  level,  but  often 
wet  and  miry.  For  some  distance  beyond  the 
entrance  there  is  not  much  to  attract  attention; 
but  as  we  proceed,  at  the  far  extremity  the 
chambers  are  quite  as  picturesque  as  the  most 
noted  of  the  well-known  Mammoth  Cave.  The 
ceilings,  sides  and  floor  are  adorned  with  a  mul- 
titude of  stalactites  and  stalagmites  arranged 
in  fanciful  combinations,  and  assuming  a  vari- 
ety of  fantastic  and  beautiful  forms." 

Many  of  these  caves  contain  niter,  which 
occurs  as  a  mineral  and  not  as  evidence  of  for- 
mer animal  occupation,  it  being  found  in  the 
form  of  effervescenses  on  the  walls.  Dr.  Shu- 
mard  mentions  several  of  this  character  in  Pu- 
laski County,  the  most  noted  being  Niter  Cave, 
in  the  Third  Magnesian  Limestone,  with  a  wide 


20  Cave  Regions  of  the 

entrance  thirty  feet  above  the  level  of  the  Gascon- 
ade. On  page  201,  he  also  gives  a  charming 
description  of  one  of  the  immense  springs  that 
are  numerous  in  this  region  and  that  I  have 
never  seen  elsewhere.     He  says  : 

11  Ozark  County  is  bountifully  supplied  with 
springs  of  the  finest  water,  and  some  of  them 
of  remarkably  large  size.  The  largest  one  is 
situated  near  the  North  Fork,  in  T.  24,  R.  11 
W.,  Sec.  32,  and  is  known  under  the  name  of  the 
Double  Spring.  It  issues  from  near  the  base  of 
a  bluff  of  Sandstone  and  Magnesian  Limestone, 
a  few  feet  above  the  level  of  the  North  Fork. 
This  spring  discharges  an  immense  volume  of 
water,  which  is  divided  by  a  huge  mass  of  Sand- 
stone into  twostreams,with  swift  currents  flowing 
in  opposite  directions  to  join  the  North  Fork 
about  one  hundred  and  fifty  yards  distant  from 
the  spring.  I  estimated  the  width  of  these 
streams  at  not  less  than  fifty  yards.  They  are 
separated  from  the  North  Fork  by  a  pretty 
wooded  island  one  hundred  yards  long.  The 
upper  stream  affords  a  good  mill-site.  I  am 
informed  that  the  quantity  of  water  discharged 
by  this  magnificent  spring  is  not  materially 
diminished  during  the  dryest  seasons  of  the 
year.  The  temperature  of  the  water  measured 
at  the  edge  of  the  spring,  was  found  to  be  56°; 
the  temperature  of  the  air  at  the  same  time,  59°. 
Other  springs   of  considerable  magnitude  occur 


Ozarks  and  Black  Hills.  21 

in  various  portions  of  the  county,  giving  rise  to 
beautiful  and  limpid  streams." 

The  descriptions  of  the  Natural  Bridge  and 
Friede's  cave,  near  Rolla,  previously  referred  to 
as  being  on  page  16  of  the  same  volume,  are  as 
follows  : 

11  On  Clifty  Creek  found  the  chert  bed  of  Sec. 
21-5  occurring  about  sixty  feet  from  the  top  of 
the  Third  Magnesian  Limestone,  with  a  road 
passing  over  its  upper  surface,  presenting  it 
very  favorably  for  observation.  It  seemed 
here  to  be  broken  by  vertical  cracks  into  large 
rhomboidal  blocks.  Further  up  this  creek  in  a 
wild  and  secluded  spot,  observed  a  Natural 
Bridge  with  six  feet  of  this  chert  bed  at  its  base, 
and  Silicious  Magnesian  Limestone  above.  The 
span  of  this  bridge  is  about  thirty  feet,  an  ele- 
vation of  opening  about  fifteen  feet  above  the 
water,  the  thickness  of  the  rock  above  is  about 
twelve  feet,  and  width  on  top  about  fif- 
teen feet.  Two  small  streams  come  together, 
one  from  the  west  and  another  from  the  south- 
west. A  point  of  the  bluff  on  the  south-west 
fork  spans  the  northern  fork,  and  terminates 
about  sixty  feet  beyond  in  a  sharp  point ;  a  few 
large  masses  of  rock  lie  near  the  termination  of 
the  promontory,  and  fifty  feet  beyond,  the 
bluffs  of  the  opposite  hills  rise  abruptly  from 
the  bottoms.  The  bluffs,  both  above  and  below, 
are  very  precipitous,  the  middle  and  lower  beds 


22  Cave  Regions  of  the 

of  the  Third  Magnesian  Limestone  forming  per- 
pendicular escarpments,  frequently  studded 
with  cedar,  some  occurring  on  top  of  the  bridge. 
A  perfectly  clear  stream  of  water  courses  through 
this  valley.  The  bottoms  near  are  overspread 
with  a  dense  growth  of  trees  and  vines,  among 
which  latter  I  noticed  the  Muscadine  grape, 
The  valley  at  this  part  being  shut  in  by  its  per- 
pendicular cliffs  with  not  a  path  to  guide  the 
traveler  through  the  dense  thickets,  is  wildly 
picturesque  and  romantic  in  its  loneliness." 

Of  the  cave  he  says:  "  This  cave  is  a  quar- 
ter of  a  mile  east  of  Cave  Spring  Creek,  and  has 
a  wide  and  elevated  entrance ;  passing  into  it 
a  hundred  yards  or  more,  the  passage  narrows, 
and  in  order  to  go  further  a  stream  of  water 
has  frequently  to  be  waded  through ;  this  pas- 
sage has  been  followed  by  some  persons  several 
miles  without  finding  any  object  of  interest; 
but  a  few  hundred  yards  from  the  entrance,  by 
diverging  to  the  right,  we  enter  a  large  cham- 
ber, studded  with  stalactites  and  stalagmites, 
many  uniting  and  forming  solid  columns  of  sup- 
port. Many  of  these  are  very  beautiful,  and 
often  as  white  as  alabaster.  There  are  other 
large  rooms,  but  they  possess  no  peculiar  inter- 
est. Found  large  deposits  of  earth  on  the  floor 
having  a  saline  taste." 

Of  the  extensive  pine  forests  in  Ozark 
County,  he  says:  "  The  size  and  quality  of  the 


Ozarks  and  Black  Hills.  23 

timber  will  compare  favorably  with  that  of  the 
celebrated  pineries  of  Wisconsin  and  Minnesota." 

In  several  other  counties  the  pine  is  equally 
good,  and  other  valuable  timber  everywhere 
abundant,  although  in  a  school  geography  pub- 
lished in  1838,  the  following  descriptions  of 
this  region  occur: 

"  The  lowlands  of  the  Mississippi  are  bounded 
by  the  region  of  the  Ozark  Mountains.  With 
the  exception  of  the  alluvial  tracts  on  the  bor- 
ders of  the  streams,  it  is  extremely  hilly  and 
broken.  The  mountains  rise  from  eight  hun- 
dred to  eighteen  hundred  feet  above  the  streams, 
with  rounded  summits  and  often  perpendicular 
clifis,  and  have  a  rocky  surface,  which  admits 
only  a  scanty  growth  of  timber."  *         * 

"Missouri  is  generally  a  region  of  prairies  and 
table  lands,  much  of  which,  as  already  described, 
is  almost  destitute  of  timber  and  water.  It  is 
crossed  by  the  Ozark  Mountains,  wrhich  form  a 
rugged  tract  of  considerable  extent.  Earth- 
quakes are  not  infrequent  in  some  parts  of  this 
state.     The  soil  is  not  generally  productive." 

A  comparison  of  these  curious  views  with  the 
latest  official  reports  is  highly  amusing,  as  well 
as  suggestive  that  early  impressions  are  liable 
to  require  modification. 

In  addition  to  the  wonderful  springs  of  pure 
water,  there  are  numerous  fine  mineral  springs, 
among  which  are  a  number  of  Epsom  salt  springs. 


24  Cave  Begions, 

At  Jacksonville,  in  Randolph  County,  there  is  a 
large  mineral  spring  from  which  it  is  said  an 
over-heated  horse  may  drink  all  he  will  without 
injury.  Epsom-salts,  or  Epsomite,  frequently 
occurs,  as  does  the  Niter,  in  a  crystalline  form 
of  the  pure  mineral,  as  an  efflorescence  on  rocks 
in  many  of  the  caves  and  in  other  sheltered  po- 
sitions. 


CHAPTER  II. 

MARBLE    CAVE. 

Marble  Cave,  which  is  the  finest  yet  explored 
in  Missouri,  is  southeast  of  the  center  of  Stone 
County, a  short  distance  north  of  the  picturesque 
White  River.  The  nearest  station  is  Marion- 
ville  on  the  St.  Louis  and^San  Francisco  railroad, 
and  the  drive  of  forty  miles  is  delightful,  but 
can  be  divided,  into  two  of  twenty  each  by  a  stop 
at  Galena.  The  road,  for  the  most  part,  is 
naturally  macadamized  and  is  through  a  most 
charming  country  whose  roughness  and  beauty 
increase  together  as  the  journey  advances.  At 
first  it  winds  along  fertile  valleys  between  wood- 
ed hills,  crossing  many  times  a  shallow  stream 
of  water  so  clear  as  to  afford  no  concealment  for 
an  occasional  water-moccasin,  whose  bite  is 
said  to  be  not  poisonous  if  inflicted  under  water, 
and  which  must  be  true  because  the  horses 
showed  not  the  least  uneasiness. 

The  second  week  in  May  found  the  vegeta- 
tion in  its  summer  beauty;  strawberries  were 
ripe,  and  the  weather  without  a  fault. 

Galena  is  pleasantly  situated  on  the  hills  over- 
looking  the    James    River,  and    is  entirely   in- 

25 


26  Cave  Regions  of  the 

visible  from  the  road  by  which  it  is  approached 
until  a  slight  curve  in  the  line  of  ascent  ends 
the  first  half  of  the  journey  with  surprising 
suddenness.  In  the  immediate  vicinity  there 
are  several  small  caves  which  are  worthy  of 
attention  and  will  be  described  later  on. 

To  properly  picture  the  twenty  miles  of 
changing  and  charming  views  between  Galena 
and  Marble  Cave  would  require  the  light  and 
skillful  touch  of  a  special  artist  gifted  with  a 
tangible  perception  of  atmospheric  values. 
Gradually  the  road  forsakes  the  pretty  valleys 
with  their  fields  and  streams,  to  take  the  sum- 
mit of  the  hills  and  then  be  known  as  the  "Ridge 
Road,"  which  affords  a  wide  range  of  vision  not 
previously  enjoyed,  presenting  scenes  not  to  be 
found  reproduced  elsewhere  with  any  degree  of 
exactness.  Looking  into  the  depth  of  the  forest 
as  it  slopes  away  on  either  side,  the  impression 
is  of  a  magnificent  park,  undefaced  by  what  are 
called  improvements.  This  effect  is  produced 
by  the  scarcity,  or  entire  absence  of  underbrush  , 
and  a  beautiful  surface  covering  of  grasses  or 
flowering  plants  of  all  kinds  and  colors,  varied 
here  and  there  with  masses  of  ferns  of  unusual 
size  and  delicate  beauty.  The  most  unexpected  and 
lavish  feature  of  the  rich  display  is  the  many  miles 
of  fragrant  honeysuckle  that  grows  only  eighteen 
inches  high  in  the  forest  shade,  but  if  trans- 
planted to  a  sunny  spot  develops  into  the  famil- 


A  Mill-Site  Near  Marble  Cave. 


Ozarks  and  Black  Hills.  27 

iar  vine.  The  most  beautiful  portion  of  all  this 
is  called  The  Wilderness,  and  seems  designed 
for  a  National  Park.  Such  a  park  reserve,  even 
if  very  small,  could  not  fail  to  be  a  lasting 
pleasure,  since  it  would  be  more  accessible  to 
large  centers  of  population  than  other  reserves, 
and  its  most  delightful  seasons  are  spring  and 
autumn  when  the  Yellowstone  is  under  snow. 

The  distant  view  obtained  through  open  spaces 
is  an  undulating  forest  in  all  directions,  being 
apparently  both  trackless  and  endless.  The 
great  variety  of  greens  observed  in  the  foliage 
blends  in  the  distance  into  one  dark  shade, 
then  changes  to  dark  blue, which  gradually  fades 
out  to  a  hazy  uncertainty  where  it  is  lost  at  the 
sky-line. 

As  long  ago  as  1853,  the  variety  and  abun- 
dance of  the  natural  growth  of  fruits  through- 
out the  Ozarks  was  observed  by  Professor  Swal- 
low, who  then  advised  the  planting  of  vines. 

Beyond  the  Wilderness  is  the  Marble  Cave 
property  and  the  entrance  to  the  Cave  is  through 
a  large  sink-hole  in  the  top  of  Roark  Mountain. 
This  hole  is  said  to  be  about  two  hundred  feet 
long,  one  hundred  feet  wide  and  thirty-five  feet 
deep.  It  is  shaped  like  a  great  oblong  bowl 
with  sloping  sides,  divided  irregularly  near  the 
middle,  and  having  the  bottom  broken  out  in  a 
jagged  way  that  is  very  handsome  and  gives 
an   ample  support  to  the   growth  of  ferns,  wild 


28  Cave  Regions  of  the 

roses,  and  other  vegetation  with  which  it  is 
abundantly  decorated.  About  half  of  the  de- 
scent into  the  basin  is  accomplished  by  scramb- 
ling down  the  roughly  broken  rocks,  and  the 
balance  by  a  broad  wooden  stairway  ending 
at  a  narrow  platform  that  supports  the  locked 
gate. 

For  kind  and  valuable  assistance  rendered  to 
insure  the  success  and  pleasure  of  the  visit  to 
the  wonderful  cave,  which  they  regard  with 
affection  and  pride,  very  cordial  thanks  are  due 
to  Capt.  T.  S.  Powell,  former  manager,  his  son, 
Mr.  Will  Powell,  the  first  guide,  and  Mr.  Fred 
Prince,  who  has  made  the  only  official  survey 
and  map.  It  may  be  stated  here  that  the  survey 
and  map  are  far  from  complete,  and  many 
known  passages  have  never  yet  been  entered. 

Being  the  first  visiting  party  of  the  season, 
certain  disadvantages  were  encountered  in  a 
great  accumulation  of  wet  clay  and  rubbish, 
washed  in  by  the  rains  since  the  previous  sum- 
mer ;  but  the  gate  was  opened  with  considerable 
effort,  and  slowly  and  cautiously  we  descended 
the  slippery,  clay-banked  stairs  to  the  immense 
mound  of  debris  forty-five  feet  below  the  gate, 
to  behold,  at  last,  the  grandeur  of  the  Audi- 
torium. 

The  magnificence  of  that  one  chamber  should 
give  to  Marble  Cave  a  world-wide  fame  even  if 
there  were  nothing  more  beyond.     The  blue-gray 


Ozarks  and  Black  Hills.  29 

limestone  walls  have  a  greater  charm  than  those 
of  an  open  canon,  owing  to  the  fact  that  they 
sweep  away  from  any  given  point  in  long,  true 
curves  to  form  an  elliptical  chamber  three 
hundred  and  fifty  feet  long  by  one  hundred  and 
twenty-five  feet  wide,  with  the  vault  above 
showing  absolute  perfection  of  arch,  and  measur- 
ing, by  the  survey,  from  its  lowest  to  its 
highest  point,  one  hundred  and  ninety-five 
feet.  These  measurements  are  said  to  be 
indisputably  correct,  and  if  so,  the  Auditorium  of 
Marble  Cave  is  the  largest  unsupported,  perfect 
arch  in  the  world ;  it  being  one  hundred  feet 
longer  than  the  famous  Mormon  Tabernacle  at 
Salt  Lake  City.  In  addition  to  the  artistic 
superiority  of  architectural  form,  its  acoustic 
properties  having  been  tested,  it  is  found  to  be 
truly  an  auditorium.  The  curving  walls  and 
pure  atmosphere  combine  to  aid  the  voice,  and 
carry  its  softest  tones  with  marvelous  distinct- 
ness to  every  portion  of  the  immense  inclosed 
space.  As  a  concert  hall  its  capacity  has  been 
tested  by  musicians  who  are  said  to  have  been 
enthusiastic  over  the  success  of  their  experi- 
ments. Several  years  ago  a  piano  was  lowered 
into  the  cave  for  use  on  a  special  occasion,  and 
still  occupies  a  position  on  the  dancing  platform, 
where  it  will  probably  remain  indefinitely  under 
the  scant  protection  of  a  small  canvas  tent. 
The  chief  ornament  of  the  Auditorium  is  the 


30  Cave  Regions  of  the 

White  Throne,  a  stalagmitic  mass  that  when 
viewed  from  the  stairway  appears  to  rest  solid- 
ly against  the  most  distant  wall,  and  looks  so 
small  an  object  in  that  vast  space  as  to  render  a 
realization  of  its  actual  measurement  impossible. 
The  height  of  the  Throne  is  sixty-five  feet  and 
the  girth  two  hundred.  It  is  a  mass  of  drip- 
stone resting  on  a  limestone  base  reserved  from 
the  ancient  excavation  to  receive  it,  and  on  care- 
ful inspection  the  perpendicular  lines,  observed 
on  the  front,  are  found  to  be  a  set  of  rather  large 
organ  pipes.  A  fresh  fracture  shows  the  Throne 
to  be  a  most  beautiful  white  and  gold  onyx. 
The  outer  surface  has  now  received  a  thin  coat- 
ing of  yellow  clay  which  was,  of  course, 
regretted,  but  later  observations  on  onyx  build- 
ing reveals  the  pleasing  fact  that  if  the  crystal- 
bearing  waters  continue  to  drip,  the  yellow  clay 
will  supply  the  coloring  matter  for  a  golden 
band  of  crystal. 

The  Throne  is  hollow  and  has  a  natural  open- 
ing in  one  side  by  which  it  may  be  entered,  but 
the  space  within  is  too  limited  to  invite  a 
lengthy  stay.  That  portion  of  the  outside 
which  is  nearest  the  wall  is  formed  with  suffi- 
cient irregularity  of  outline  to  admit  of  an 
ascent  to  the  top,  and  the  view  obtained  is  well 
worth  the  difficult  scramble  up  and  the  appre- 
hensive slide  down.  Being  raised  so  high  above 
all   objects    that    divide    attention    or    in    some 


Ozarks  and  Black  Hills.  31 

degree  obstruct  the  view,  permits  a  freedom  of 
outlook  that  sensibly  increases  the  appreciation 
of  the  vastness  of  the  enclosed  chamber  and  its 
enclosing  walls.  Efforts  to  establish  the  age  of 
the  deposit  by  observations  on  the  yearly  growth, 
would  afford  little  satisfaction,  for  the  obvious 
reason  that  conditions  governing  the  growth  are 
dependent,  in  a  measure,  on  each  season's  vege- 
tation. Deposit  began,  of  course,  after  the 
erosion  of  the  chamber  ceased,  and  therefore 
represents  only  a  fraction  of  the  age  of  the  cave 
itself.  About  thirty  feet  west  of  the  White 
Throne  and  against  the  wall,  stands  the  next 
onyx  attraction  in  the  form  of  a  beautiful  fluted 
column  nearly  twenty  feet  high,  tapering  up 
from  a  base  three  feet  in  diameter,  and  known 
as  the  Spring  Room  Sentinel,  because  the  Spring 
of  Youth  is  just  behind  it  although  not  directly 
connected  with  the  Auditorium ;  it  being  the 
first  chamber  on  the  left  in  Total  Depravity 
Passage,  a  wet  and  dangerous  way  of  which 
next  to  nothing  is  known,  but  the  entrance  to 
which  is  a  fine  arch  a  few  feet  west  of  the  Senti- 
nel. The  Spring  of  Youth  is  reached  by  climb- 
ing through  a  window-like  opening,  and  is  very 
small,  very  wet,  very  cold,  and  very  beautiful. 
It  is  not  more  than  ten  feet  high  nor  six  in  its 
greatest  length  and  breadth,  but  every  inch  of 
its  irregular  surface  is  composed  of  dripstone  of 
a  bright  yellowish-red  and  colorless  crystal ;  and 


32  Cave  Regions  of  the 

down  the  glittering  walls  trickles  clear  and 
almost  ice-cold  water,  to  the  onyx  floor  where  it 
is  caught  and  held  in  a  marvelous  fluted  bowl  of 
its  own  manufacture.  This  is  said  to  be  the 
gem  of  the  whole  cave  and  seems  to  have  been 
placed  where  it  is  for  the  consolation  of  those 
who  are  unable  to  enjoy  the  peculiar  grandeur 
of  the  Auditorium,  and  leave  it  as  some  actually 
are  said  to  do,  with  a  sense  of  disappointment, 
because  it  is  not  the  gleaming  white  hall  of 
marble  which  some  writers  for  reputable 
journals  have  allowed  their  imaginations  to 
create. 

In  winter  the  Spring  of  Youth  Room  takes  on 
a  complete  coating  of  ice,  with  icicles  of  all 
sizes  hanging  from  the  ceiling  and  projections. 
The  effect  is  described  as  being  wonderfully 
beautiful. 

Further  down  Total  Depravity  Passage  we 
were  not  urged  to  go,  because  at  that  season  of 
the  year  it  is  wet  and  difficult,  without  any 
sufficient  promise  of  a  brilliant  compensation  for 
the  achievement  of  such  a  journey.  But  the 
Spring  of  Youth  Room,  or  as  it  is  generally 
called,  the  Spring  Room,  is  more  than  ample 
justification  for  the  existence  of  the  passage, 
and  would  still  be  if  that  passage  were  several 
miles  in  length  and  the  attraction  located  at  the 
most  distant  limit. 

The  various  passages  in  Marble   Cave  are  by 


Wall  in  Spring   Room. 

Ptfge  32. 


:-.      :*       I 


Ozarks  and  Black  Hills.  33 

no  means  alike  or  even  similar;  some  having 
been  opened  by  the  action  of  water  assisted  only 
by  acid  carried  in  solution ;  while  others  are  the 
unmistakable  crevices  of  earthquake  origin, 
afterwards  enlarged,  or  perhaps  only  remodeled, 
as  we  might  say,  by  the  water's  untiring  energy 
in  changing  the  position  of  rock  masses  without 
obliterating  evidences  of  original  design. 

A  glance  at  the  map  shows  the  sudden  break- 
ing off  of  the  various  passages  represented;  the 
end,  however,  is  not  of  the  passages  themselves, 
but  only  of  the  exploration  or  the  survey  of  them, 
and  there  is  a  possibility  that  future  develop- 
ments will  lead  to  the  discovery  of  more  caves 
than  are  yet  known.  However  that  may  be,  the 
glimpses  already  had  into  the  beyond  are  said 
to  be  alluring. 

To  the  north  of  the  Auditorium,  which  was 
until  recently  called  the  Grand  Amphitheater, 
there  opens  out  a  kind  of  alcove  extension  known 
as  the  Mother  Hubbard  Room,  and  spreading 
out  from  this  is  the  corridor,  a  room  about  one 
hundred  and  twenty-five  feet  long  and  seventy- 
five  feet  in  width,  with  a  low,  narrow  passage, 
or  crawl,  leading  from  the  northeast  into  the 
Grotto,  a  dome-shaped  room  formerly  called  the 
Battery,  on  account  of  the  great  number  of  bats 
that  used  to  congregate  in  it.  It  is  about  fort}7" 
feet  in  diameter  and  fifty  feet  in  height.  On 
one  side  of  this  room  is  a   narrow    "squeeze" 


34  Cave  Beg  ions  of  the 

opening  into  a  passage  several  feet  lower  than 
the  floor  level  of  the  Grotto  and  leading  to  the 
Spanish  Room,  which  when  discovered  bore 
indications  of  having  been  occupied  by  a  human 
being  who  had  tried  to  escape  by  tunneling,  or 
by  reaching  a  hole  in  the  roof;  which  is  s»id  to 
be  impossible  for  him  to  have  done  without 
outside  assistance.  As  no  bones  have  been  found 
we  may  hope  the  assistance  arrived  in  time. 
When  the  discovery  of  the  room  was  made,  a 
quantity  of  loose  rock  was  piled  before  the 
entrance,  so  if  he  ever  escaped  it  was  not  by  that 
way. 

After  crawling  back  to  the  Corridor,  through 
the  same  small,  but  dry  passage  of  seventy  feet 
length,  we  saw  a  narrow  ledge  of  fine  crystals, 
a  deposit  of  Epsom  salts,  and  a  few  bats  that 
in  the  dim  light  looked  white  but  are  a  light  tan 
color  with  brown  wings.  A  good  specimen 
hanging  on  a  projecting  ledge  of  the  wall 
remained  undisturbed  by  us  and  our  lights, 
giving  an  opportunity  for  careful  inspection  so 
that  we  presently  discovered  it  to  be  a  mummy; 
which  naturally  suggests  that  this  portion  of  the 
cave,  being  dry  and  opening  out  of  the  great 
temple-like  Auditorium  as  an  alcove,  could  be 
converted  into  an  imposing  crypt. 

Making  our  way  across  the  room  to  its  south- 
west extremity  over  a  varied  assortment  of 
bowlders  and  down  a  drop  of  eight  or   ten  feet, 


or  THE     A 

\    UNIVERSITY   } 


Ozarks  and  Black   Hills.  35 

we  crawled  into  another  tight-fitting  dry  passage 
lined  with  beautiful  glittering  onvx  like  clear 
ice  banded  with  narrow  lines  of  red,  of  which 
broken  fragments  covered  the  narrow  floor  and 
made  a  dazzling,  but  distressingly  painful  rug 
to  crawl  over.  This  is  the  West  Passage  and 
leads  to  the  Grand  Crevice,  of  which  only  a 
small  portion  has  been  surveyed ;  midway  of  the 
passage  are  the  Epsom  Rooms,  two  in  number, 
and  well  supplied  with  cpsomiteor  native  Epsom 
salts;  this  is  sometimes  called  the  Vvrindy  Pas- 
sage, on  account  of  a  rushing  current  of  air  met 
suddenly  at  the  first  bend  and,  no  doubt,  due  to 
the  meeting  here  of  fresh  air  coming  in  from  the 
outside  with  that  chemically  changed  in  the 
Epsom  Rooms. 

The  cave  contains  a  great  many  dangerous 
places,  as  we  correctly  surmised  on  the  morning 
of  our  introduction;  when  Mr.  Powell's  blessing 
on  the  breakfast  was  lost  in  so  fervent  a  prayer 
for  the  safe  and  successful  accomplishment  of 
our  undertaking,  it  seemed  inconsiderate  not  to 
present  the  reassuring  appearance  of  inexhaust- 
ible endurance. 

In  the  Corridor  can  be  seen  one  of  the  three 
old  Spanish  ladders  found  in  the  cave  when  it 
was  rediscovered;  but  when  and  for  what  pur- 
pose the  Spaniards  used  the  cave  there  seems  to 
be  no  means  of  finding  out.  It  should  be 
remembered  that  this  part  of  the  United   States 


36  Cave  Regions  of  the 

was  occupied  first  by  the  Spaniards  and  then  by 
the  French,  and  is  a  portion  of  the  Louisiana 
Purchase,  a  tract  of  897,931  square  miles,  or 
70,000  square  miles  more  than  the  original  thir- 
teen states.  The  price  asked  and  paid  was 
$12,000,000  and  the  assumption  of  claims  which 
citizens  of  this  country  had  against  the  French 
Government  for  about  $3,750,000  more.  The 
French  offered  to  make  the  sale  on  account  of 
being  thoroughly  discouraged  with  constant 
troubles  arising  with  the  Indians,  whom  they  had 
decided  it  would  be  impossible  to  persuade  or 
compel  to  recognize  any  laws  other  than  those 
established  by  each  tribe  for  itself,  or  accepted  by 
friendly  treaty  with  the  council  and  disregarded 
by  individuals  on  both  sides: — and  the  United 
States  accepted  the  offer,  not  for  any  expected 
value  in  the  land, but  for  the  unrestricted  naviga- 
tion of  the  Mississippi  River.  Therefore  Missouri 
was  never  under  British  rule  and  never  changed 
hands  by  force  of  arms. 

But  to  return  to  the  Spanish  ladder,  it  is  a 
tall  pine  tree  notched  on  the  sides  for  steps,  and 
the  stump  of  a  branch  left  or  a  peg  inserted  at 
considerable  intervals,  for  hand  supports  to  as- 
sist in  raising  the  weight  of  the  body. 

Returning  to  the  Auditorium,  we  entered  a 
passage  behind  the  Great  White  Throne  and 
started  on  what  might  well  be  called  the  Water 
Route,  for  no  dry  spot  is   touched  on   the  round 


Ozarks  and  Black  Hills.  37 

trip ;  but  if  one  goes  prepared  for  such  a  jour- 
ney it  is  well  worth  the  effort  and  the  mud.  If 
the  visitor  is  a  man,  the  suit  worn  should  be  one 
he  is  ready  to  part  with,  or  overalls;  ladies  re- 
ceive the  same  advice  even  to  the  overalls,  as 
some  of  the  most  beautiful  portions  of  the  cave, 
which  we  failed  to  see,  can  be  visited  only  in 
that  objectionable  costume.  To  visit  any  cave 
comfortably  a  short  dress  is  necessary  and  if 
any  thing  like  a  thorough  knowledge  of  the 
ramifications  is  desired,  the  unavoidable  climb- 
ing will  soon  prove  the  superior  claims  of  a  di- 
vided skirt;  but  if  it  is  properly  made,  only  the 
wearer  need  be  conscious  of  the  divide.  Rub- 
ber boots  and  water-proof  protection  for  the 
head  and  shoulders  complete  a  costume  that  is 
not  exactly  an  artistic  creation,  unless  our 
ideas  of  art  have  been  gathered  in  the  school  of 
Socrates,  but  it  is  suited  to  the  requirements  of 
the  occasion  and  makes  the  explorations  far 
more  easy  and  profitable  than  they  otherwise 
could  be. 

The  passage  back  of  the  White  Throne  is 
called  the  Serpentine  Passage,  and  most  of  it  is 
sufficiently  high  for  traveling  in  an  erect  posi- 
tion; yet  there  are  several  places  that  require 
crawling.  The  first  stopping  point  is  the  Gulf 
of  Doom  Room,  or  as  it  is  also  known,  the  Reg- 
ister Room,  because  here  visitors  usually  write 
their    names    in    the    peculiar     dark  red    clay, 


38  Ccive  Beg  ions  of  the 

which  is  moist  but  firm  and  cuts  with  a  polish. 
This  room  is  twenty-five  feet  high  and  fifty  feet 
wide,  and  looks  off  into  the  Gulf  of  Doom, 
which  seems  rightly  named  when  a  rock  is 
thrown  into  it  and  you  note  the  lapse  of  time 
before  any  sound  returns  ;  and  when  the  awful 
Gulf  is  made  visible  by  lights  thrown  in,  one 
involuntarily  seeks  a  firmer  footing  and  clings 
to  a  projecting  rock.  The  height  of  the  Gulf 
is  ninety-five  feet  and  the  distant  sound  of  fall- 
ing water  is  not  reassuring.  The  wralls  are  not 
smoothly  worn  away,  but  have  the  rough  and 
weird  appearance  of  having  been  torn  by  a 
torrent  in  a  narrow  mountain  gorge,  and  are 
stained  with  the  dark  clay. 

Retracing  our  steps  a  short  distance,  if  that 
st3Tle  of  locomotion  could  be  called  steps,  we 
turned  into  Dore's  Gallery,  and  surely  that 
artist  was  in  his  usual  working  mood  when  he 
conceived  this  awful  method  of  connecting  the 
upper  regions  with  the  lower.  Great  bowlders 
have  fallen  down  without  helping  to  fill  the 
black  holes  that  received  them,  and  into  this  real 
Inferro  we  proceeded  to  descend  by  narrow, 
ladder-like  stairs  provided  with  a  light  hand  rail, 
and  trembling  slightly  with  the  responsibility 
they  assumed.  If  any  one's  courage  trembled 
too,  no  notice  was  taken  of  it,  and  a  record  of 
exploring  experiences  does  not  necessarily  include 
a  confession  of  any  doubts. 


Ozarks  and  Bin  eh-   Hills.  39 

On  all  the  ladders  in  this  Galkry  was  a  lino 
while  fungus  growth  in  the  form  of  a  thick, 
heavy  mould,  that  the  lightest  touch  destr  »yed. 
In  caves  where  some  care  is  taken  to  protect 
this  mold,  it  attains  a  growth  of  six  or  more  feet 
and  assumes  the  forms  of  sea-weed. 

Once  down  the  first  and  longest  flight  of 
stairs,  without  any  signs  of  a  Dore  dragon  rais- 
ing its  huge  body  by  heavy  claws  to  a  resting 
place  among  the  rocks,  awe  divides  more  evenly 
with  admiration:  and  being  already  well  be- 
smeared with  mud,  we  climbed  over  the  clay- 
covered  bowlders  and  crawled  through  narrow 
holes  with  perfect  satisfaction,  enjoying  each 
novel  scene  to  the  utmost. 

Off  from  the  Dore  Gallery  is  a  small  chamber 
containing  the  Fountain  of  Youth,  that  must  be 
seen,  but  the  way,  like  that  of  the  transgressor, 
is  hard.  Arrived  at  the  entrance  we  hesitated 
a  moment,  for  although  getting  in  looked  possible, 
the  way  out  again  seemed  not  so  simple ;  but 
finally  trusting  to  Providence,  through  the  direct 
agency  of  our  careful  guardians,  of  course,  we 
sat  down  on  the  edge  of  the  large  slippery 
bowlder  on  which  we  stood,  and  reaching  out 
caught  a  projection  of  the  wall  on  one  side  and 
a  bowlder  crag  on  the  other,  swung  off  and 
dropped  into  the  soft  mud  below.  This  chamber 
proved  to  be  a  little  gem;  small  but  high,  and 
beautifully  adorned  with  calcite  crystal.     Down 


■40  Cave  Regions  of  the 

a  wall  of  red  onyx  on  one  side  clear  water  flows 
into  a  basin  in  the  irregular,  rocky  floor,  just 
behind  the  bowlder  we  had  used  for  a  hand-rest 
at  the  entrance ;  the  perfectly  transparent  water 
in  the  basin  appears  to  be  only  a  few  inches  deep, 
but  measures  three  feet,  and  is  several  degrees 
colder  than  the  air,  which  in  this  portion  of  the 
cave  is  warm.  The  other  wall  of  this  room  is 
an  almost  perpendicular  bank  of  the  soft  dark 
red  clay,  in  which  small  selenite  crystals  -  are 
sprouting  like  plants  in  a  garden. 

Suddenly  we  heard  a  heavy,  rolling  noise  like 
distant  thunder,  and  asking  if  it  were  possible 
to  hear  a  thunder  storm  so  far  below  the  surface, 
were  told  it  was  the  protest  of  angry  bats  against 
a  further  advance  on  the  quarters  to  which  they 
have  retreated  from  the  main  body  of  the  cave, 
and  their  orders  were  obeyed:  so  of  what  may  be  in 
that  direction,  we  gained  no  positive  knowledge 
besides  bats,  and  the  fact  that,  small  as  they  are, 
their  great  numbers  make  them  dangerous  when 
angry.  Returning  to  the  gallery  and  continuing 
the  journey  down  over  slippery  rock  and 
slender  ladders  we  came  at  length  to  the  bottom 
of  the  Gulf  of  Doom,  into  which  we  had  looked 
from  the  room  now  high  above  us;  and  we 
needed  no  stimulating  help  to  the  imagination  to 
pronounce  it  a  fit  termination  to  an  artist's 
troubled  dream. 


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Ozarks  and   Black   Hills.  11 

Then  climbing  over  an  assortment  of  bowl- 
ders of  all  sizes,  going  up  a  little,  and  swinging 
or  sliding  down,  we  came  to  a  point  in  the  nar- 
row passage  where  the  floor  is  a  flat  slab,  like  a 
large  paving  stone,  tilted  up  at  a  steep  angle 
against  one  wall  and  not  reaching  the  other  by 
about  fifteen  inches,  with  darkness  of  unknown 
depth  below:  about  three  feet  above  this  opening 
the  wall  projects  in  a  narrow,  shelving  ledge,  and 
everything  is  covered  with  a  thin  coating  of 
slippery  wet  clay.  The  only  way  to  cross  that 
uninviting  bridge  is  to  brace  the  feet  against  the 
slab,  and  leaning  on  the  ledge,  slowly  work 
across.  A  little  more  rough  work  and  the  descent 
of  the  two  short  ladders,  brought  us,  at  last, 
under  the  beautiful  Waterfall,  where  we  stood 
as  in  a  heavy  shower  of  rain  at  the  lowest  point 
yet  reached  in  the  cave,  which  according  to  the 
survey  of  Mr.  Prince  is  four  hundred  feet 
below  the  surface.  The  falling  water  has 
ornamented  the  walls,  which  in  this  portion 
of  the  cave  expose  over  two  hundred 
feet  of  Magnesian  Limestone,  with 
unique  forms  of  dripstone;  and  the  steeply 
sloping  floor  has  received  the  over-charge  of 
calcium  carbonate  until  it  has  become  a  shining 
mass  of  onyx,  retaining  pools  of  cold,  transpa- 
rent water  in  the  depressions.  In  the  lowest 
corner  there  is  only  mud,   and  above  it   rises,  to 


42 


Cave  Beg  ions. 


a  height  of  at  least  fifteen  feet  a  hank  of  miry, 
yellow  elay,  at  the  top  of  which  a  hole  in  the 
wall  is  the  only  known  entrance  to  Blondy's 
Throne. 


CHAPTER  III. 

MARBLE    CAVE    CONTINUED. 

On  account  of  the  long  "crawl"  through 
mud  and  cold  water,  it  was  at  first  suggested 
and  then  strongly  advised,  that  we  should  not 
undertake  to  make  the  trip  to  Biondy's  Throne: 
and  yearning  to  see  what  is  considered  the  cave's 
chief  beauty  was  not  easy  to  over-come,  but  after 
careful  attention  to  the  deep  mire  of  the 
approach  the  advice  seemed  good,  especially  as 
Mr.  Powell  kindly  promised  to  write  a  descrip- 
tion of  its  trials  and  treasures;  which  he 
promptl}r  did,  thereby  making  it  possible  for  us 
to  continue  the  journey  now  without  a  disap- 
pointing interruption,  so  we  will  proceed  to 
wade  that  mud  bank  with  him  in  his  own  way. 
He  says  :  "As  Mecca  is  to  the  Mohammedan,  so 
is  Biondy's  Throne  Room  to  the  pilgrim  who 
invades  the  chaos  and  penetrates  the  mysteries 
of  Marble  Cave.  When  the  subject  is  mentioned 
to  the  guide,  he  shrugs  his  shoulders  and  assumes 
an  imploring  look,  and  begins  at  once  to  men- 
tion the  difficulties  of  getting  there.  But  if  you 
insist  upon  it  he  will  go.  The  passage  by  which 
this  room  has  to  be  reached,   if  passage   it   may 

is    • 


44  Cave  Regions  of  the 

be  called,  must  be  entered  from  the  Waterfall 
Room,  and  a  steep  ascent  must  be  made  until  an 
elevation  of  fifty  feet  is  reached  above  the  bot- 
tom of  that  room.  This  ascent  has  been  called 
Hughse's  Slide,  as  a  man  of  that  name  once  lost 
his  footing  at  the  top  and  slid  on  the  wet  and 
very  slippery  clay  all  the  way  to  the  bottom, 
leaving  a  very  sleek  trail.  The  ascent  is  diffi- 
cult, as  the  soft  clay  is  deep  and  wet  and  the 
sides  are  ■  reeking  and  covered  also  with 
soft  yielding  clay.  When  the  top  of  the  slide 
is  once  reached,  a  low  passage  six  feet  wide 
and  two  feet  high  is  discovered,  and  stooping 
low,  or  actually  lying  flat  down,  you  enter. 
The  top  of  the  passage  is  of  smooth  rock  and  the 
bottom  is  of  wet  clay  with  an  occasional  varia- 
tion of  sharp  gravel.  The  air  is  good,  and  as  a 
lizard,  you  start  forward.  In  places  the  passage 
widens  to  ten  or  twelve  feet  and  again  narrows 
to  six  feet. 

"In  about  one  hundred  feet  you  encounter  a 
small  pond  of  water  filling  the  whole  width  of 
the  passage  and  extending  twenty  to  thirty  feet, 
but  the  guide  tells  you  it  is  only  one  foot  deep, 
and  calls  attention  to  the  fact  that  the  water 
does  not  come  within  a  foot  of  the  roof  of  the 
passage  and  you  can  easily  keep  your  chin  above 
it,  and  with  this  assurance  through  you  go. 

"Within  the  next  one  hundred  feet  you 
encounter    and    pass   in   the   same  manner  three 


Ozarks  and  Black  Hills.  45 

more  ponds  of  varying  sizes.  The  guide  calls 
your  attention  to  the  fact  that  you  are  not  alone, 
and  looking  about  you  by  the  dim  light  of  your 
candle  you  see  numbers  of  small  eyeless  salaman- 
ders, from  four  inches  to  one  foot  long.  They 
are  peaceable  and  harmless,  appear  to  have  no 
teeth  and  are  easily  caught,  if  you  so  desire. 

"Another  hundred  feet  and  the  Rest  Room,  or 
Egyptian  Temple  is  reached,  and  rising  to  your 
feet  you  may  rest.  The  room  is  small,  but  con- 
tains beautifully  fluted  walls,  resembling  basal- 
tic columns ;  and  natural  marks  of  erosion  that 
resemble  hieroglyphic  inscriptions.  From  the 
other  side  of  this  room  the  passage  goes  on  with 
the  same  characteristics,  but  as  you  enter  to  go 
forward  a  sound  strikes  the  ear,  and  you  pause 
to  listen.  It  is  a  confusion  of  sounds,  a  babel 
of  voices ;  and  sounds  like  a  distant  conversation 
carried  on  by  a  large  number  of  people.  So 
striking  is  this  resemblance  that  you  instantly 
ask  the  guide  if  there  are  people  in  the  room 
ahead,  and  hardly  believe  him  when  he  says, 
'No.' 

"You  hear  voices  of  men, voices  of  boys, babies, 
girls  and  ladies,  and  occasionally  loud  laughter; 
but  forward  is  the  word  and  on  you  go,  encour- 
aged by  the  assurance  of  the  guide  that  you  are 
now  over  half  way  through  the  passage  and  that 
the  sounds  came  from  Blondy's  Throne  Room. 
Suddenly    the    passage  divides    into   two  much 


46  Cave  Regions  of  the 

alike,  and  taking  the  right  hand  one,  you  make 
your  slow  advance  until  at  last,  with  clothes 
soaked  and  covered  with  clay  mud,  and  your 
strength  about  gone,  you  begin  to  feel  desperate 
and  tell  the  guide  that  you  will  go  no  further, 
when  you  see  him  rise  to  his  feet,  and  he  says  : 
'  Here  we  are.'  You  step  over  a  steep  bank  of 
clay  and  emerge  into  a  large  room.  It  is  almost 
square  in  shape;  about  eighty  feet  long  and  sixty 
feet  wide,  and  about  fifty  feet  high,  with 
white,  smooth  walls  and  a  pure  white  ceiling, 
and  sloping  gradually  downward  on  the  left  ends 
in  a  small,  clear  lake  of  water.  This  lake  has  a 
beautiful  beach  of  white  pebbles,  and  though 
shallow  on  the  edge  seems  quite  deep  at  the 
center ;  in  fact  it  is  believed  to  have  there  a 
concealed  opening  that  gives  exit  to  its  waters. 
On  the  opposite  side  from  you,  a  stream  of  clear 
water  pours  into  the  lake,  and  in  doing  so  it 
gives  off  the  sounds  that  in  the  passage  you  mis- 
took for  human  voices  ;  and  this  noble  stream 
has  been  named  Mystic  River.  It  enters  the 
lake  from  under  a  beautiful  natural  arch,  about 
thirty  feet  across  at  the  bottom,  and  six  feet 
above  the  water  at  the  center.  The  bed  of  the 
stream  is  eroded  from  strata  of  sandstone  that  is 
extremely  hard,  containing  corundum,  and  so 
perfect  is  its  continuity  that  it  conveys  sound 
distinctly  for  a  distance  far  beyond  the  reach  of 
the    human    voice,    when  tapped    upon    with    a 


Ozarks  and  Black  Hills.  -17 

hammer.  The  top  of  the  arch  is  studded  with 
lovely  stalactites,  clear  as  glass,  that  extend  to 
the  outer  edge  of  the  arch  and  form  massive  and 
beautiful  groups  there.  Above  the  arch  is  a 
large  opening.  In  truth  the  side  of  the  room  is 
out,  and  a  great  dark  space  appears  like  a  cur- 
tain of  black.  A  natural  path  leads  up  over  one 
side  of  the  arch,  and  following  the  lead  of  the 
guide  you  go  up  above  and  learn  that  a  room 
on  the  higher  level  extends  off  in  that  direction 
and  gets  larger  and  higher.  The  walls  are 
stalagmitic  columns  in  cream  color  and  decked  in 
places  with  blood-red  spots  or  blotches  of  Titanic 
size.  The  ceiling  you  cannot  see.  It  is  too  high  for 
the  lights  you  have  to  reach.  On  the  left  you  are 
suddenly  confronted  by  a  stalagmitic  formation 
so  large  and  so  grand  that  all  others  are  dwarfed 
into  insignificance.  You  think  of  the  dome  of 
the  Capitol  at  Washington.  You  are  standing 
at  the  sloping  base  but  cannot  see  the  top. 
Just  here  the  guide  announces  in  an  awestruck 
voice  "  Blondy's  Throne.'1  And  who  is  Blondy? 
Only  a  fair-haired,  blue-eyed,  intrepid  and 
daring  fifteen-year-old  bo}r,  named  Charles 
Smallwood,  who  assisted  the  writer  in  exploring 
the  cave  in  the  early  days  of  1888,  and  going 
on  in  advance,  reported  back  that  he  had  found 
another  and  a  greater  throne  than  the  Great 
White  Throne  in  the  Auditorium. 

' 'Well,  here  we  are  at  Blondy's  Throne  at  last, 


48  Cave  Beg  ions  of  the 

and  surveying  the  base,  we  find  that  it  is 
actually  only  half  in  the  room  we  are  in ;  the 
other  half  forms  the  side  of  another  room.  In 
a  word,  the  Great  Throne  divides  the  room  into 
two  parts  and  makes  two  rooms  of  it  instead  of 
one.  Yet  the  one  half  of  the  base  has  a  meas- 
urement, by  tape  line,  of  one  hundred  and  fifty 
feet.  The  guide  now  makes  preparations  to 
ascend  the  Throne.  A  chain  has  been  fastened 
up  towards  the  top,  and  by  taking  hold  of  this 
the  climb  can  be  made  up  the  sloping  sides  of  the 
Throne.  We  pass  on  and  up  over  the  clearest 
and  most  ice-like  formation, resembling  the  great 
icebergs  seen  at  sea.  Reaching  an  elevation  of 
sixty  feet  an  opening  into  the  dome  is  found, 
and  stooping,  you  enter.  It  is  a  room  about 
twenty  feet  across,  with  a  white  ice-like  floor,  a 
roof  or  ceiling  ten  feet  above,  and  from  it  hang 
thousands  of  brilliant  stalactites  and  from  the 
floor  stalagmites  rise  up  to  meet  them.  They 
are  in  all  sizes,  from  an  inch  to  two  feet  across. 
The  sides  are  of  the  same  material  joined  and 
cemented  lightly  together.  Strike  any  of  them 
and  clear  musical  note3  are  given  off ;  a  musician 
has  found  two  full  octaves.  Water  is  dripping 
in  many  places,  and  in  the  center  of  the  floor  is 
a  tank  full  of  clear  water.  It  is  four  feet  wide, 
twelve  feet  long  and  of  unknown  depth. 

"On  the  opposite  side  of  the  room  from  which 
you  enter  there  is  a  hole  or  opening  in  the  wall, 


Blondy's  Throne. 

Page  47. 


Ozarks  and  Black  Hills.  49 

It  is  large  enough  to  go  through  but  it  goes  into 
the  great  dark  room  on  the  other  side  of  the 
Throne.  An  abyss  confronts  you,  a  sheer  preci- 
pice which  descends  for  many  feet,  perhaps  hun- 
dreds. No  man  knows.  This  outer  room  of 
Blondy's  Throne  has  been  named  the  Chamber  of 
the  Fairies.  Leaving  it  and  continuing  the 
ascent,  the  top  of  the  Throne  is  soon  reached 
and  is  about  twenty  feet  across;  and  from 
several  points  still  higher,  rise  stalagmitic 
spires. 

"The  actual  height  of  Blondy's  Throne  is  not 
known,  but  is  probably  about  one  hundred  feet. 
Again  look  upwards  for  the  ceiling  from  the 
dizzy  height  on  top  of  the  Throne;  you  cannot 
see  it.  Burn  magnesium  ribbon  and  look  up, 
and  you  see  a  white  ceiling  spangled  with  groups 
of  stalactites.  It  is  surely  one  hundred  feet 
away.  Then  look  off  into  the  unknown  room 
which  is  called  the  Great  Beyond.  No  human 
being  has  ever  explored  or  even  entered  it,  but 
fire  balls  thrown  in  reveal  the  fact  that  it  is  of 
great  extent;  and  part  of  the  bottom  water  and 
part  land.  No  way  of  getting  into  it  has  ever 
yet  been  found,  so  its  mysteries,  lessons  and 
revelations  are  still  safe  from  human  intrusion. 
How  far  it  goes,  where  it  stops,  and  what 
it  leads  to,  are  facts  for  some  future  ex- 
plorer to  discover.  Bats  and  white  salaman- 
ders are   found   in  Blondy's    Throne   Room,  and 


50  Cave  Begio7is  of  the 

some  larger  animals  have  been  heard  to  jump 
into  the  water  and  escape  on  the  approach  of 
man,  but  their  species  is  not  known. 

"  The  arched  passage  of  Mystic  River  has  been 
followed  up  for  a  journey  of  an  hour,  but  fur- 
ther than  that  its  extent  is  unknown.  It  was 
hoped  that  a  way  would  be  thus  found  into  the 
Great  Beyond,  but  it  did  not  prove  successful. 
A  well  equipped  party  could  find  there  a  chance 
for  some  grand  discoveries,  and  it  would  be  one 
of  the  notable  pleasures  of  the  life  of  the  writer 
to  be  one  of  such  a  party. 

"The  exit  from  Blondy's  Throne  Room  is  al- 
ways made  with  deep  regret  that  the  waning 
lights  and  meager  supplies  will  not  allow  a  lon- 
ger stay.  The  long  crawl,  the  mud  and  the  wa- 
ter are  all  forgotten,  and  notwithstanding  the 
terror  of  the  trip  one  feels  well  repaid." 

We  thank  Mr.  Powell  for  a  charming  journey 
without  its  discomfort  and  danger,  and  re- 
sume our  travels  at  the  Waterfall. 

From  the  foot  of  the  Waterfall  we  returned 
again  to  the  Auditorium,  in  time  to  enjoy  a 
sight  such  as  we  supposed  could  exist  only  in  a 
brilliant  imagination ;  and  the  return  at  that 
hour  was  not  a  lucky  accident  of  fate,  but  the 
result  of  careful  attention  to  a  prearranged  de- 
sign that  we  should  not  fail  to  witness  a  mar- 
velous display  never   surpassed   by   lavish  Na- 


o 
o 

PS 

o 

w 
H 


o 
- 


Foot  of  Waterfall 
Page  50. 


Ozarks  and  Black   Hills.  51 

ture.     The  clay    outside   was    one    of    cloudless 
summer  sunshine. 

Our  eyes  having  grown  accustomed  to  the  dim 
light  of  candles  in  passages  where  absolute 
darkness,  unrelieved  by  the  stars  of  midnight, 
always  reigns,  the  great  Auditorium  appeared 
before  us  softly  flooded  with  daylight  diffused 
from  abroad  white  beam  slanting  down  in  long 
straight  lines  from  the  entrance  as  from  a  rift  in 
heavy  clouds  ;  only  this  rift  displayed  around 
its  edges  a  brilliant  border  of  vegetation  that 
the  rough  rocks  cherish  with  tender  care. 

As  we  stood  lost  in  almost  speechless  admira- 
tion, and  without  the  slightest  warning  of  treas- 
ure yet  in  store,  the  white  beam  was  stabbed  by 
a  narrow,  gleaming  shaft  of  yellow  sunlight. 
The  glorious,  radiant  beauty  of  the  picture  pre- 
sented is  utterly  indescribable,  but  it  was  of 
short  duration,  and  in  a  few  seconds  the  golden 
blade  was  withdrawn  as  suddenly  as  it  had  ap- 
peared. 

If  the  genius  of  Elkins  had  been  granted  the 
privilege  we  enjoyed,  the  artist-world  of  Eu- 
rope that  graciously  yielded  the  highest  honor 
to  his  "Sunbeam  on  Mount  Shasta,"  would 
have  knelt  in  rapturous  humility.  Speaking  of 
his  great  work,  as  we  stood  before  it  only  a  few 
months  before  his  death,  Mr.  Elkins  said  qui- 
etly:    "It    is    no    great    achievement;    I    simply 


52  Cave  Beg  ions  of  the 

painted  it  exactly  as  it  looked.     Anyone   could 
do  the  same."     But  no  one  ever   has. 

The  white  beam  was  more  enduring  and  by  its 
aid  we  were  able  to  view  the  expanse  of  the 
great  Auditorium  far  better  than  could  have 
been  done  in  the  momentary  glare  of  any  bril- 
liant artificial  light.  Every  part  of  the  cloud- 
gray  walls  shows  a  stratification  as  regularly 
horizontal  as  if  the  laying  of  each  course  had 
been  done  with  the  assistance  of  line  and  level; 
while  in  every  direction  are  now  seen  hundreds 
of  stalactites  that  had  not  been  noticed  before, 
and  although  they  look  small,  the  average 
length,  taken  with  the  surveying  instruments, 
is  fourteen  feet.  The  Hill  beneath  the  entrance 
is  an  accumulation  of  debris,  drifted  in  from  the 
outside,  and  rising  to  a  height  of  more  than 
one  hundred  and  twenty-five  feet;  while  the 
great  circumference  of  its  supporting  base,  re- 
vealed by  the  banishment  of  shadows,  suggests 
the  possibility  of  tragic  history  of  which  the 
only  evidence  lies  buried  there  and  may  or  may 
not  ever  be  discovered;  but  let  us  step  lightly, 
since  our  feet  may  press  the  covering  that  shields 
a  final  sleep ;  and  also  let  a  grieving  sister  in 
her  old  age  take  comfort  in  the  knowledge  that 
here,  as  in  few  other  spots,  nature  provides  a 
certain  and  gentle  burial  for  the  unfortunate, 
and  for  a  few  seconds  each  day  lights  the  dim 
chamber    with    a    heavenly    glory — perhaps    in 


Ozarks  and  Black  Hills.  53 

appeal  to  the  sons  of  one  country  to  harbor  no 
such  feelings  as  deprived  Abel  of  life  and  for 
all  time  and  eternity  tarnished  the  honor  of 
Cain. 

The  chilliness  presently  recalled  us  from  fur- 
ther indulgence  in  that  great  scene,  to  ordinary 
affairs ;  and  consulting  the  reliable  thermom- 
eter, it  was  found  to  register  42°,  while  in  some 
of  the  lower  passages  the  temperature  is  58°; 
but  the  variation  is  not  in  accordance  with  the 
accepted  theory  of  one  degree  to  the  one  hun- 
dred feet  descent. 

A  return  to  the  beautiful  Spring  of  Youth 
Room  was  now  a  necessity,  but  we  were  care- 
ful to  allow  no  drop  of  water  falling  from  clay- 
stained  hands  to  reach  the  purity  of  that  lovely 
bowl,  and  then  being  happy  and  hungry,  we  re- 
tired to  the  piano's  protecting  tent  for  refresh- 
ment. 

The  atmosphere  in  Marble  Cave  has  the  pecu- 
liar bracing  and  invigorating  quality  common 
to  the  majority  of  caves,  that  seems  almost  to 
defy  fatigue  and  encourage  exertion  that  under 
ordinary  conditions  would  be  impossible. 

After  the  exertion  necessary  in  the  warmer 
portions  of  the  cave,  the  temperature  of  42° 
proved  rather  low  for  comfort  and  finally  was 
admitted  to  be  a  sufficient  reason  for  either 
leaving  the  cave  or  sending  out  for  the  wraps. 
Slowly  and  reluctantly  the  party  walked    up  the 


54  Cave  Regions  of  the 

long  winding  path  to  the  summit  of  the  Hill 
where  the  stairway  finds  support,  stopping 
many  times  to  admire  again  the  perfect  curves 
and  fine  color-tones  of  that  wonderful  high 
arch — within  a  mountain  yet  softly  radiant  with 
the  light  of  day. 

Still  lingering  regretfully  among  the  fern- 
decked  rocks  before  quite  finishing  the  ascent  to 
the  actual  outside  world,  the  mercury  lost  little 
time  in  registering  eighty  degrees. 

Since  no  official,  or  even  approximately  cor- 
rect map  of  Marble  Cave  has  yet  been  published, 
and  the  desirability  of  maps  is  particularly  urg- 
ed by  Monsieur  E.  A.  Martel,  a  special  effort  was 
made  to  secure  one,  which  was  accompanied  by 
the  following  remarks  from  Mr.  Prince  in  regard 
to  its  incompleteness : 

11  There  are  several  passages  and  rooms  which 
do  not  appear  on  the  map,  though  some  of  them 
are  well  known,  but  have  not  been  surveyed  and 
platted. 

"Much  further  exploration  is  possible  in  this 
great  cavern.  Lost  River  Canon  ends  abruptly 
in  a  bank  of  red  clay,  the  volume  of  water  being 
undiminished.  The  water  from  the  Great  Fall 
Hows  by  a  small  serpertine  into  a  passage  which 
has  never  been  followed  up ;  its  entrance  being 
several  hundred  feet  higher  that  the  nearest 
water  level." 

Unfortunately    the    quantity    of    water  in  the 


Ozarks  and  Black  Hills.  55 

cave  at  the  time  of  the  visit  just  described  was 
so  unusually  great  as  to  render  the  Lost  River 
Canon  trip  impossible. 

During  the  previous  season  the  cave  and  its 
surroundings  were  visited  by  a  prominent  natur- 
alist who  appears  to  have  been  delightfully  lib- 
eral in  the  diffusion  of  scientific  knowledge  and 
the  explanations  of  methods  of  pursuing  inves- 
tigations. His  practical  instruction  in  snake 
catching  is  particularly  interesting  as  it  was 
never  before  introduced  into  this  state,  where  the 
copperhead  and  rattler  are  known  to  have  sur- 
vived among  the  fittest.  Seeing  a  snake  hole 
and  desiring  information  as  to  the  family  record 
of  the  proprietor,  he  inserted  a  finger,  and  while 
waiting  for  results  explained  that  there  is  no 
better  way  to  secure  a  specimen,  as  the  enraged 
reptile  will  fasten  its  fangs  into  the  intruding 
member  and  then  can  be  easily  withdrawn. 
It  is  a  pleasure  to  state  that  even  snakes  recog- 
nize the  claims  of  friendship,  and  no  injury  was 
experienced.   * 

In  the  vicinity  of  Marble  Cave  there  are  sev- 
eral choice  varieties  of  onyx  and  marble,  among 
them  a  rare  and  beautiful  onyx  in  black  and 
yellow.  The  coloring,  tinting  and  banding 
of  onyx  seem  generally  to  be  regarded  as  one  of 
the  unexplainable  mysteries  of  nature,  but  is  in 

*  The  naturalist  referred  to  is  the  late  Prof.  E.  D.  Cope. 


56  Cave  Regions  of  the 

reality  an  extremely  simple   process  that  can  be 
easily  studied  in  any  active  cave. 

When  the  percolating  acidulated  water  passes 
slowly  through  a  pure  limestone  it  is  filtered  of 
impurities  and  deposits  a  crystal,  either  pure 
white  or  transparent;  if  it  comes  in  contact 
with  metallic  bodies  of  any  kind,  it  carries 
away  more  or  less  in  solution  to  act  as  coloring 
matter ;  the  beautiful  pale  green  onyx  in  sev- 
eral Missouri  counties  taking  its  tint  from  the 
copper;  in  South  Dakota,  manganese  in  various 
combinations  produces  black  and  many  shades 
of  brown ;  in  both  states  an  excessive  flow  of 
water  often  carries  a  quantity  of  red  or  yellow 
clay  which  temporarily  destroys  the  beauty  of 
exposed  surfaces,  but  in  after  years  becomes  a 
fine  band  of  brilliant  color. 

Small  wind  caves  are  numerous  in  the  Ozarks 
and  being  cold  are  frequently  utilized  for  the 
preservation  of  domestic  supplies.  The  entrance 
to  one  in  the  neighborhood  of  Marble  Cave  is 
high  up  on  the  hillside  south  of  Mr.  Powell's 
house  and  being  visible  from  the  porch  was  too 
tempting  to  be  ignored,  and  the  walk  up  to  it 
for  a  better  view  was  rewarded  with  a  most 
charming  bit  of  scenery  as  well.  All  the  quiet 
valley,  divided  by  a  rushing  little  stream,  lay 
before  us  in  the  shadow  of  early  evening,  while 
to  the  north  and  east  the  hills  were  brilliant  in 
summer    sunshine,  with    one    small    open    glade 


Entrance  to  Cave — Interior  View 

Page  5'2. 


Ozarks  and  Black  Hills.  57 

gleaming  vividly  among  the  darker  shades  of 
forest  green. 

The  cave  was  a  very  small  room  at  the  bottom 
of  a  steep,  rocky, sloping  passage,  and  contained 
no  standing  water,  although  there  had  been  a 
heavy  rainfall  the  night  before  and  the  opening 
is  so  situated  as  to  especially  favor  the  inflow, 
which  naturally  indicates  a  greater  cave 
beneath  a  hidden  passage.  Here,  as  in  most  of 
the  caves  of  the  region,  is  found  a  small  lizard: 
it  is  totally  blind  but  its  ancestors  evidently 
were  not,  as  is  shown  by  conspicuous  protuber- 
ances where  the  eyes  should  be,  but  over  which 
the  skin  is  drawn  without  a  wrinkle  or  seam  to 
indicate  a  former  opening.  These  harmless 
creatures  are  not  scaly,  but  are  clothed  in  a  soft, 
shining,  well-fitted  skin,  and  the  largest  seen 
were  little  more  than  six  inches  long. 

Those  who  love  perfect  Nature  in  a  most  smil- 
ing mood  should  hasten  to  visit  Marble  Cave 
while  yet  no  rail-road  quite  touches  the  county. 


CHAPER  IV. 

FAIRY    CAVE    AND    POWELL    CAVE. 

Fairy  Cave  enjoys  the  reputation  of  being  the 
most  beautiful  yet  discovered  in  that  cavernous 
region,  and  consequently  a  visit  to  it  was  con- 
templated with  considerable  eagerness,  although 
the  mode  of  entrance  had  been  described  with 
sufficient  accuracy  to  prevent  any  misconcep- 
tion of  the  difficulties  to  be  overcome  or  the 
personal  risk  involved.  To  go  from  our  tempo- 
rary abiding  place  it  was  necessary  to  pass 
Marble  Cave,  and  when  we  had  gone  that 
far  Mr.  Powell  left  us  to  follow  the  road,  while 
he,  on  his  mule,  took  a  short  cut  across  the  hills 
and  valleys,  to  try  to  find  men  not  too  much  oc- 
cupied with  their  own  affairs  on  a  fine  Monday 
morning,  in  corn  plowing  time,  to  join  our  expe- 
dition. As  neither  our  small  companion,  Merle, 
nor  ourselves,  had  any  knowledge  of  the  locality 
of  our  destination,  we  were  carefully  instructed 
to  follow  the  main  road  to  the  Wilderness 
Ridge,  and  keeping  to  that,  pass  the  Indian 
Creek  road  and  all  others  that  are  plain, 
but  turn  down  the  second  dim  road  and  follow 
it  until  stopped  by  a  new  fence  where  we  would 

58 


Ozarks  and  Black  Hills.  59 

be  met  and  conducted.  So  long  as  points  to  be 
passed  held  out,  these  directions  gave  us  no 
trouble  whatever,  even  the  first  dim  road  offer- 
ing no  obstacle  to  the  pleasure  of  our  progress; 
but  the  second  dim  road  proved  so  elusive  we 
traveled  many  miles  in  search  of  it,  finally 
bringing  up  against  a  place  Merle  was  familiar 
with  and  knew  to  be  a  long  way  off  the  track  of 
our  intentions.  As  there  was  nothing  to  be  done 
but  return  we  naturally  accepted  the  situation 
and  did  that;  presently  finding  Mr.  Powell  and 
the  Messrs  Irwin,  on  whose  land  the  cave  is, 
patiently  waiting  for  us  in  what  was  really  not 
a  road  at  all,  but  rather,  in  this  region  of  fossils, 
the  badly  preserved  impression  of  one  long  since 
extinct. 

The  new  fence  was  opened  at  two  places  that 
we  might  drive  through  and  be  saved  the  exer- 
tion of  walking  a  considerable  distance,  then 
the  horses  were  left  in  the  shade  while  we  scram- 
bled down  the  steep  hill-side  covered  with  sharp- 
edged,  broken  rock,  about  mid- way  down  which 
is  the  mouth  of  the  cave,  yawning  like  a  narrow, 
open  well.  Above  this  a  stout  windlass  has  been 
arranged  on  two  forked  logs. 

A  few  feet  below  the  surface  the  cave  spreads 
out  jug-shaped,  so  that  in  descending  nothing 
is  touched  until  the  floor  is  reached,  one  hundred 
feet  beneath  the  surface ;  consequently  the  only 
danger  to  be  apprehended  is  a  fall. 


60  Cave  Regions  of  the 

Each  of  the  three  men  present  kindly  olFercd 
to  go  down  and  make  the  exploration  with  me, 
but  that  would  have  left  only  two  at  the  wind- 
lass,and  for  a  man's  weight,  safety  requires  four. 
Should  an  accident  occur,  assistance  would  be 
necessary,  and  some  time  lost  in  finding  it;  so, 
to  the  undisguised  satisfaction  of  one  and  equally 
evident  relief  of  the  others,  it  was  reluctantly 
decided  that  the  trip  must  be  given  up,  and 
therefore  we  are  indebted  to  the  kindness  of 
Captain  Powell*  for  the  following  description  of 
Fairy  Cave: 

"The  Cave  referred  to  is  situated  in  Section 
21,  Township  23,  Range  23,  in  Stone  County, 
Missouri,  and  is  on  the  homestead  of  one  of  three 
brothers  named  Irwin. 

"It  was  accidentally  discovered  in  the  year  1895 
and  up  to  the  time  of  this  writing  (June  1890) 
only  six  persons  have  ever  entered  it.  It  is  in  a 
point  or  spur  of  the  Ozark  Mountains  which  runs 
to  the  east  from  the  great  Wilderness  Ridge,  and 
is  three  miles  distant  from  the  Marble  Cave. 
Having  been  one  of  the  first  to  enter  the  Cave, 
being  called  by  the  owner  as  a  sort  of  cave 
expert,  I  will  attempt  to  describe  both  the  adven- 
ture and  the  cave  just  as  they  were.  The  meas- 
urements are  simply  estimated,  though  by  long 
practice    I  have  become  expert  in  that  line  also, 

*Editor  of  the  county  news-paper. 


Ozarks  and  Black  Hills.  61 

but  the  longest  measurement  here    was  correctly 
taken  by  the  rope  used. 

"Having  been  invited  by  the  Irwin  brothers  to 
come  and  examine  and  explore  a  new  cave  they 
had  found  but  had  only  entered  and  not  explored, 
accompanied  by  my  eldest  son,  W.  T.  Powell,  I 
reached  the  place  one  warm  Saturday  morning. 
We  found  about  twelve  or  fourteen  men  waiting 
for  our  coming;  some  discussing  the  matter  of 
whether  we  would  enter  when  we  did  come,  and 
others  who  had  volunteered  to  work  the  windlass, 
which  had  been  erected  over  the  opening,  by 
means  of  which,  with  a  one  hundred  foot  rope, en- 
trance was  to  be  made.  The  opening  was  like  a 
small  well,  and  situated  under  the  edge  of  an 
overhanging  cliff  of  marble,  and  on  the  southeast 
slope  of  the  mountain,  about  one  hundred  and 
fifty  feet  above  the  bottom  of  a  narrow  valley, 
and  about  the  same  distance  below  the  top  of 
the  mountain,  which  here  is  three  hundred  feet 
high.  In  order  to  rig  a  windlass  the  edge  of 
the  cliff  had  to  be  broken  away.  The  well-like 
opening  descended  for  about  ten  feet  through 
strata  of  flat-laying  rocks  that  formed  a  roof ; 
then  all  appeared  to  be  vacancy  and  a  stone 
cast  in  gave  back  a  distant  sound. 

"Having  first  tested  the  air  and  proved  it  good 
by  dropping  in  blazing  excelsior  saturated  with 
turpentine,  a  stout  oak  stick  was  attached  to  the 
end  of  the   rope,  my  son  sprang  astride  and  was 


62  Cave  Regions  of  the 

lowered  to  the  bottom,  just  one  hundred  feet. 
He  reported  back  'All  right.'  On  the  return  of 
the  rope  I  took  ray  position  on  the  stick  and  was 
soon  dangling  in  mid  air.  The  sensation  was 
strange  and  exhilarating.  Looking  up  I  could 
only  see  the  small  opening  I  came  through,  and 
a  straggling  stream  of  light  poured  down  that, 
but  on  all  sides  profound  darkness  reigned  su- 
preme. A  spark-like  light  ray  son  lit,  reminded 
me  of  the  lost  Pleiad.  About  twenty-live  or 
thirty  feet  from  the  top  I  caught  sight  of  a  scene 
that  made  me  call  on  the  men  at  the  windlass  to 
stop. 

"This  caused  them  to  think  something  was 
going  wrong  and  one  called  out  to  know  what 
was  the  matter  :  I  heard  him  say  'He  is  weaken- 
ing.' I  assured  them  everything  was  right 
only  I  wanted  to  take  a  view;  so  they  stopped. 
Off  at  a  distance  of  perhaps  twenty-five  feet  was 
an  opening  about  ten  feet  or  more  wide  and 
twelve  feet  high.  The  light  from  the  opening 
struck  it  fairly,  owing  to  the  position  of  the 
sun  at  the  time.  Through  this  opening  I  saw 
into  another  room,  large  and  magnificent.  It 
brought  to  mind  the  White  City.  It  was  snowy 
white,  and  thickly  studded  with  stalactites  and 
stalagmites  of  immense  size  and  in  great  num- 
bers; some  looking  like  spires  of  numerous 
churches,  and  many  connected  as  with  a  lattice- 
work   about    the    bottom.     For  a  short   time    I 


Ozarks  and  Black  Hills.  63 

gazed  on  that  lovely  scene,  and  examined  the 
chances  to  reach  it,  but  a  great  gulf  intervened 
that  we  had  no  means  of  spanning,  and  I  called 
to  the  men  to  lower  me  down.  Approaching  the 
bottom  one  of  the  walls  trended  in  towards  me 
and  I  stepped  upon  solid  ground  close  to  the 
wall,  which  half  way  up  seemed  fifty  feet  away. 
The  opening  above  now  looked  like  a  small  pale 
moon,  and  the  next  man  who  came  dangling 
down  to  join  us  looked  no  bigger  than  a  toy 
soldier.  Gradually  our  eyes  became  accustomed 
to  the  twilight,  and  by  the  time  our  party  was 
increased  to  six  men,  I  could  see  quite  distinctly. 
"The  room  runs  directly  into  the  mountain  and 
is  about  ninety  feet  high,  and  where  we  landed 
it  proved  to  be  twenty  feet  wide.  It  extended 
in  both  directions,  but  much  the  farthest  towards 
the  right  hand.  The  outer  room  is  encrusted  in 
fine  white  water  formations.  It  forms  a  Gothic 
ceiling  from  which  hang  pendant  at  all  places 
brilliant  and  sparkling  stalactites;  some  being 
of  immense  size  and  length,  from  ten  to  twenty- 
five  feet.  Others  are  not  so  large  but  are  bril- 
liant. We  created  a  flood  of  artificial  light  with 
dozens  of  candles  and  lamps;  and  then  and  not 
until  then,  could  we  see  the  slope  and  contour 
of  the  roof.  A  few  bats  were  flitting  about, 
disturbed  for  the  first  time.  To  the  left,  a  vast 
white  pillar  extended  from  floor  to  roof.  It  was 
pure  white  and  about  five   feet  in  diameter  all 


64  Cave  Regions  of  the 

the  way  up.  It  was  fluted,  fretted,  draped  and 
spangled.  I  never  in  my  life  saw  anything  more 
chaste  and  lovely.  I  thought  of  the  countless 
ages  it  must  have  taken  to  form  that  monument: 
of  the  streams  of  clear  water  that  had  fallen  and 
left  their  calcite  deposits,  while  it  grew  year 
after  year,  age  after  age,  century  after  century, 
in  this  profound  darkness,  disturbed  by  no  noises 
save  the  rhythmic  sound  of  the  falling  drops  and 
the  dull  flitting  of  the  bats,  who  alone  were  the 
living  witnesses  of  its  construction.  To  the  rear 
of  this  great  pillar  the  room  is  divided  into 
three  galleries,  one  above  another.  With  great 
difficulty  and  much  clanger  we  climbed  into  each 
of  these.  The  floors  were  all  like  the  pillar  of 
pure  white  onyx,  and  extended  back  a  distance 
of  thirty  or  more  feet.  The  floor  of  one  formed 
the  roof  of  another.  They  were  brilliant  with 
hanging  pendants  and  the  side  walls  were  all 
veneered  with  the  same  white  and  crystalline 
formation.  To  entirely  describe  them  is  im- 
possible. A  day  in  each  would  still  leave  the 
observer  short  of  words  in  which  to  tell  of  the 
wonders, 

''Turning  towards  the  right  hand  from  the 
entrance  we  advance  two  hundred  feet  up  an 
incline  of  dry  clay,  the  room  widening  gradually 
until  its  width  is  forty  feet,  when  we  reach  the 
top  of  an  elevation  thirty  feet  above  the  starting 
point,  where  a  sudden  steep  descent  brings  us  to 


Ozarks  and  Black  Hills.  65 

a  halt.  A  stone  cast  down  strikes  water  and  the 
sound  of  a  splash  conies  back  to  us.  With 
caution  we  seek  our  way  down  the  hill  and  stand 
on  the  edge  of  a  small  lake  or  pond.  Suddenly 
my  son,  who  is  in  the  lead,  rushes  back  saying: 
'Look  out!  I  put  my  hand  on  a  snake.'  Some 
of  us,  being  armed  with  hickory  canes  that  had 
been  thrown  down,  concentrated  our  lights  and 
advanced.  Sure  enough,  there  is  a  snake  a  yard 
long  coiled  up  on  a  section  of  rotten  wood.  It 
proves  to  be  a  copperhead,  the  most  quarrelsome 
and  vicious  snake  in  this  country ;  but  his  nature 
is  changed  so  that  he  makes  no  effort  to  fight 
and  is  killed  with  a  blow,  and  is  sent  to  be 
hoisted  up  that  we  may  examine  him  in  daylight. 
No  others  were  found,  and  probably  he  had 
fallen  in  at  the  opening,  and  spent  a  long,  weary 
time  in  expiation  of  his  upper-earth  crimes. 

"Examining  the  lake  we  find  it  to  be  about 
forty  feet  wide  and  the  same  long,  and  it  fills 
the  room  from  wall  to  wall.  We  cannot  pass  it 
so  must  either  stop  or  wade  through.  We  decide 
to  wade,  and  on  measuring  the  water  find  it  only 
two  or  three  feet  deep,  with  a  soft  clay  bottom, 
and  in  many  places  islands  of  stalagmite  rise 
above  the  surface. 

"On  the  sides  of  the  lake  there  are  formations 
in  the  shape  of  sofas  and  lounges,  and  they  ap- 
pear to  be  cushioned,  but  the  cushions  are  found 
to  be  hard,  solid  rock;     As  the  lights   advance 


66  Cave   Begions  of  the 

across  the  lake  new  wonders  are  revealed. 
Curtains  and  draperies  hanging  from  the  top 
almost  touch  the  water  and  entirely  cut  off  the 
view  beyond.  Passing  under  a  curtain  at  one  of 
the  highest  places,  we  emerge  from  the  lake,  and 
once  more  on  dry  land,  advance  up  a  slope. 
Here  the  water  formations  have  taken  human 
shapes  of  all  sizes  and  several  colors  now  appear 
and  help  to  present  a  chaos  of  beauty. 

"Two  hundred  feet  more  and  the  chamber  ends 
in  a  vast  waterfall,  but  the  water  has  turned  to 
stone.  Above  the  waterfall  is  an  opening,  but 
it  is  twenty-five  feet  up  a  smooth  wall  and  we 
have  no  ladder.  The  journey  was  at  an  end. 
Tired,  wet  and  muddy,  we  started  on  our  return 
trip ;  recrossed  the  dark  lake,  and  retraced  our 
steps  to  the  place  under  the  opening  without 
realizing  that  we  had  spent  six  hours  under 
ground.  While  the  other  members  of  the  party, 
and  the  specimens,  were  being  raised  to  the  sur- 
face, the  writer  sought  to  learn  the  flora  and 
fauna  of  this  new  region.  The  flora  is  blank. 
Even  the  white  mold  so  common  in  many  caves 
is  absent;  and  no  fungus  grows  on  the  poles, 
bark  and  rotten  wood  that  have  at  some  past 
time  been  cast  in. 

"In  animal  life  the  range  is  greater.  I  have 
mentioned  the  ever-present  bats,  and  dozens  of 
them  were  seen.  There  were  also  small,  white 
eyeless  salamanders,  small,  yellow,  speckled  sal- 


Ozarks  and  Black   Hills.  67 

ainanders,  with  signs  of  eyes  but  no  sight;  also 
a  jet  btack  salamander,  which  like  the  rest,  was 
blind.  The  bats  were  of  two  species — the  com- 
mon brown  bat  and  the  larger  light  grey  or 
yellow  species.  But  this  was  not  the  time  of  the 
year  to  see  many  bats  in  caves.  In  the  summer 
season  most  of  them  go  out  and  remain  until  cool 
weather,  and  then  return  to  the  caves  with  their 
3'oung;  so  I  was  rather  surprised  to  see  as  many 
as  we  did. 

''Down  comes  the  rope  for  the  last  time,  and 
taking  my  place,  I  soon  feel  m}Tself  spinning 
around  and  slowly  rising.  As  I  again  pass 
the  magic  city  I  saw  going  down,  a  stronger 
wish  than  ever  takes  possession  of  me  to  go 
there,  and  I  look  for  any  chance  to  solve  the 
problem  of  how  such  a  journey  can  be  made. 
1  Thou  art  so  near  and  yet  so  far.' 

''Suddenly  I  find  myself  emerging  from  the 
ground  into  a  very  hot  world,  with  the  evening 
sun  blazing  so  that  the  air  feels  like  the  scorch- 
ing heat  of  an  oven;  and  my  late  companions 
are  scattered  about  under  the  trees,  no  doubt 
wishing  themselves  back  in  the  cool  regions 
below  the  hot  cliffs. 

"My  final  conclusions  in  regard  to  Fairy  Cave 
were  that  it  was  about  six  hundred  feet  loner  b\r 

o  1/ 

from  fifteen  to  forty  feet  wide  and  from  eighty 
to  ninety  feet  high :  that  in  the  upper  story 
there  are  rooms  that  I  could  not  reach,  that  will 


68  Cave  Regions  of  the 

amply  pay  the  scientist  and  explorer  to  investi- 
gate in  the  future:  that  probably  we  reached  all 
the  accessible  parts  in  the  level  we  traveled  : 
that  the  temperature  was  fifty- six  or  very  near 
that  degree:  that  small  as  it  is,  it  contains  the 
finest  formations  and  grandest  scenery  I  have 
ever  seen  in  a  cave:  and  I  have  examined  over 
one  hundred  of  various  sizes.  I  believe  that  for 
interior  beauty  its  equal  is  not  to  be  found  in 
America  ,  and  I  sincererely  believe  that  the  ver- 
dict of  future  exploration  will  establish  the  truth 
of  the  assertion,  but  as  equally  good  judges 
differ  on  such  matters,  time  will  be  required  for 
atrue  and  just  decision.  There  are  yet  many  prom- 
ising caves  to  be  explored  in  this  region,  and  if 
my  strength  holds  out  a  few  years  I  hope  to  see 
them  all.  T.  S.  Powell." 

POWELL    CAVE. 

As  a  measure  of  consolation  for  the  disap- 
pointment of  not  seeing  the  beauty  of  Fairy 
Cave,  Mr.  Irwin  suggested  that  only  a  quarter 
of  a  mile  further  on  was  another,  recently  dis- 
covered and  worthy  of  a  visit,  although  small. 

In  that  region  of  steep  hills  and  sharp-edged 
rocks,  a  great  amount  of  travel  can  be  added  to 
the  experience  of  a  tender-foot  in  a  short  distance. 
The  quarter  of  a  mile  seemed  to  stretch  out  in 
some  mysterious  way  as  we  worked  on  it,  but 
the  variety  and  abundance  of  attractions  are 
more  than  ample  compensation. 


Ozarks  and  Black  Hills.  69 

The  view  was  fine,  including  as  it  did  the 
deep  ravine  and  grassy,  wooded  slopes  rising 
three  hundred  feet  above,  with  here  and  there  a 
handsome  ledge  of  marble  exposed  like  the 
nearly  buried  ruin  of  a  forgotten  temple  of 
some  past  age.  Scattered  about  in  great  pro- 
fusion among  the  broken  rock  on  the  surface  of 
these  hill-sides  we  observed  a  water  deposit  of 
iron  ore.  It  is  a  brown  hematite  and  in  some 
cases  shows  the  structure  of  the  bits  of  wood  it 
has  replaced.  Since  this  region  has  from  the 
earliest  time  produced  a  generous  growth  of 
vegetation,  the  decay  of  which  has  yielded  a 
never-failing  supply  of  acids  to  assist  in  carv- 
ing the  caves  and  then  in  their  decoration,  the 
presence  of  the  ore  is  not  difficult  to  account 
for.  The  whole  Ozark  uplift  being  rich  in  iron, 
the  acidulated  drainage  waters  coming  into  con- 
tact dissolved  and  took  it  in  solution,  to  re-de- 
posit where  and  when  conditions  should  be 
favorable.  These  conditions  were  found  in  the 
basin  among  the  hills  and  along  its  outlet. 

In  the  Popular  Science  Monthly  of  January 
1897,  a  short  article  by  J.  T.  Donald,  entitled 
"  A  Curious  Canadian  Iron  Mine,"  describes  the 
same  thing  going  on  at  the  present  time  in  Lac 
a  la  Tortue,  a  small  body  of  water  in  the  center 
of  a  tract  of  swamp  land,  which  produces  the 
vegetation  necessary  to  supply  the  acid  required 
for  a  base  of  operation. 


70  Cave  Regions  of  the 

Of  the  manner  of  deposition  he  says:  "  The 
solution  of  iron  in  vegetable  acid  (in  which  the 
iron  is  in  what  the  chemist  calls  the  form  of  a 
protosalt)  is  oxidized  by  the  action  of  the  air  on 
the  surface  of  the  lake  into  a  persalt,  which  is 
insoluble,  and  appears  on  the  surface  in  patches 
that  display  the  peculiar  iridescence  character- 
istic of  petroleum  floating  on  water.  Indeed, 
not  infrequently  these  films  of  peroxide  of  iron 
are  incorrectly  attributed  to  petroleum.  These 
films  become  heavy  by  addition  of  new  particles; 
they  sink  through  the  water,  and  in  this  manner, 
in  time,  a  large  amount  of  iron  ore  is  deposited 
on  the  lake  bottom.  It  must  not  be  supposed 
that  the  ore  is  deposited  as  a  fine  mud  or  sedi- 
ment. On  the  contrary,  in  this  lake  ore,  as  it 
is  called,  we  have  an  excellent  illustration  of 
what  is  called  concretionary  action — that  is,  the 
tendency  of  matter  when  in  a  fine  state  of  divi- 
sion to  aggregate  its  particles  into  masses  about 
some  central  nucleus,  which  may  be  a  fragment 
of  sunken  wood,  a  grain  of  sand,  or  indeed  a 
pre-formed  small  mass  of  itself." 

It  is  claimed  for  this  water  ore,  which  is 
gathered  like  oysters,  that  mixed  with  bog  ore 
and  magnetic  iron,  and  smelted  with  charcoal, 
the  result  as  obtained  is  strong,  durable  and 
high  priced. 

The  curiously  elastic  quarter  of  a  mile  finally 
yielded    to    persistent    toil,    and   the   cave    was 


Ozarks  and  Black  Hills.  71 

reached.  The  entrance  is  sufficiently  broad  to 
give  a  good  first  impression,  and  is  under  a 
heavy  ledge  of  limestone  which  breaks  the  slope 
of  the  hill  and  is  artistically  decorated  with 
a  choice  collection  of  foliage,  among  which  is  a 
coral  honeysuckle;  the  fragrant  variety  grows 
evcrj' where.  Under  the  ledge  is  a  narrow  ves- 
tibule, out  of  the  north  end  of  which  is  a 
passage  about  twenty-four  inches  in  width, 
between  perpendicular  walls,  and  as  steeply 
inclined  as  the  average  dwe]ling-hou>e  stairway 
but  without  any  assisting  depressions  to  serve 
as  steps.  Mr.  Irwin  cut  a  grape  vine,  and  making 
one  end  secure  at  the  entrance,  provided  a  hand 
rail,  by  the  aid  of  which  I  was  able  to  easily 
descend  the  stepless  way  and  afterwards  remount. 
The  first  chamber  entered  is  the  principal 
portion  of  the  cave,  and  by  actual  measuremtnt 
is  forty-nine  feet  in  length  by  forty-eight  in 
greatest  width  and  the  height  estimated  at  fifty 
feet.  On  account  of  irregularities  it  appears 
smaller  but  higher.  On  opposite  sides  of  the 
chamber,  at  elevation  about  midway  between  the 
lloorand  ceiling  are  two  open  galleries.  The  floor 
is  extremely  irregular  with  its  accumulation  of 
fallen  masses  of  rock,  and  the  action  of  water 
has  given  to  portions  of  the  walls  the  appear- 
ance of  pillars  supporting  the  arches  of  the  roof. 
The  whole  aspect  is  that  of  a  small  Gothic 
elm  pel.     Off  to  the  northwest  is    another    room 


72  Cave  Regions  of  the 

measuring  thirty  feet  in  each  direction,  and  out 
of  this  are  several  openings,  too  small  to  squeeze 
through,  which  indicate  the  possible  existence 
of  other  chambers  beyond,  but  they  may  be  only 
drain  pipes. 

The  cave  contains  no  drip  formations,  notwith- 
standing which  it  is  one  of  the  most  charming, 
and  when  invited  to  name  it  I  called  it  Powell 
Cave,  in  honor  of  the  most  ardent  admirer  of 
caves  in  that  county,  and  to  whom  I  am  much 
indebted  for  valued  assistance. 


CHAPTER   V. 

OTHER    STONE    COUNTY    CAVES. 
GENTRY  CAVE. 

The  cave  nearest  to  Galena,  and  the  first 
visited  by  us,  is  Gentry  Cave,  situated  a  mile 
and  a  half  from  town.  We  started  in  the  mail 
coach,  but  that  vehicle  met  with  a  misfortune  by 
no  means  unusual  in  that  region,  the  total  wreck 
of  a  wheel.  Having  only  that  morning  arrived 
from  the  rich  agricultural  portion  of  the  State 
where  no  surface  rock  can  be  found,  we  were 
pleased  enough  with  the  prospect  of  a  walk  in 
such  charming  spring  weather,  and  set  out  with 
a  cheerful  certainty  that  the  rough  place  in  the 
road  would  soon  be  passed.  But  the  school  of 
experience  is  always  open  for  the  reception  of 
new-comers  and  we  were  admitted  to  full  duty 
without  question. 

The  topography  was  nearly  as  broken,  in  its 
way,  as  the  natural  "piking"  spread  over  it, 
and  very  beautiful  with  the  dense  forests  lighted 
by  the  slanting  yellow  rays  of  the  afternoon  sun. 
The  way  leads  up  to  the  "ridge  road"  which 
is  at  length  abandoned  for  no   road   at   all,    and 

73 


74  Cave  Regions  of  the 

descending  through  the  forest,  more  than  half 
the  distance  down  to  the  James  River  flowing  at 
the  base  of  the  hill,  we  come  suddenly  in  view 
of  the  cave  entrance,  which  is  probably  one  of 
the  most  magnificent  pieces  of  natural  archi- 
tecture ever  seen. 

Rounding  a  corner  by  a  narrow  path,  we  step 
onto  a  covered  portico  ninety-seven  feet  long, 
with  an  average  width  of  ten  feet.  The  floor  is 
smooth  and  level,  as  also  is  the  ceiling,  which 
is  nine  feet  above,  supported  by  handsomely 
carved  pillars  and  rising  in  a  gray  cliff  project- 
ing from  the  slope  of  the  hill  above,  out  to  the 
brink  of  the  more  abrupt  descent  to  the  water's 
edge  ninety  feet  below.  Between  the  pillars 
are  three  large  door- ways  into  the  cave.  The 
comparison  suggested  is  an  Egyptian  .  temple, 
and  the  idea  is  continued  within,  where  there 
are  no  chambers  as  in  other  caves;  but  instead, 
the  entire  interior  is  a  labyrinth  of  passages 
winding  about  in  every  direction  among  an 
uncounted  number  of  low  massive  pillars,  some 
supporting  a  low  ceiling  and  others  connected 
by  high  arches,  the  highest  point  being  esti- 
mated at  sixty  feet,  but  appearing  to  be  more, 
because  the  enclosed  space  rising  to  a  dome  is  so 
narrow  that  the  point  of  view  is  necessarily 
directly  underneath. 

All  exposed   surfaces  of  pillars  and  wTalls  inside 
the  cave  are  of  clay  or  a  soft  porous  rock  having 


Ozarks  and  Black  Hills.  75 

the  same  appearance,  and  are  covered  with 
curious  little  raised  markings  like  the  indescrib- 
able designs  of  mixed  nothing  generally  known 
as  "Persian  patterns."  This  is,  of  course, 
easily  explained  ;  the  clay  being  the  residuum 
from  disintegrated  limestone,  the  markings 
described  are  the  harder  portions  of  the  rock 
remaining  after  particles  of  clay  had  been  car- 
ried out  by  flowing  water  while  the  disintegrat- 
ing process  was  3Tet  incomplete. 

The  Drinking  Fountain  is  considered  thj  great 
attraction  of  the  cave,  and  appears  to  have 
been  fashioned  to  suggest  a  model  for  the  hand- 
some soda  fountains  belonging  to  a  later  period. 
The  water  bowl  is  a  large  depression  worn  in 
the  top  of  a  rock  which  seems  to  have  been 
built  into  the  wall.  In  front  it  is  five  feet  high 
and  nine  feet  across,  with  artistic  corners 
approximately  alike,  and  at  the  back  ornamen- 
tal carving  extends  upward  towards  the  ceiling 
with  an  opening  through  the  wall  at  the  center. 
This  opening  is  divided  by  a  short  column  down 
which  water  trickles  to  supply  the  bowl.  The 
ceiling  here  is  about  thirty-five  feet  high  and 
most  of  the  exposed  surface  is  a  blue-gray  lime- 
stone. Only  one  portion  of  Gentry  Cave 
has  received  a  deposit  of  dripstone  and  even 
that  is  of  limited  extent,  and  located  at  the  end 
of  a  narrow  slippery  passage  between  high, 
slippery  walls. 


T6  Cave  Regions  of  the 

The  fine  entrance  is  of  grey  limestone  in  un- 
disturbed horizontal  strata,  and  this  is  so  plainly 
marked  in  the  roof-supporting  pillars  as  to  give 
them  the  appearance  of  having  been  prepared  by 
skillful  hands,  in  several  blocks,  and  afterwards 
arranged  in  place  without  the  aid  of  mortar. 
Unfortunately,  all  efforts  to  photograph  this 
wonderful  portico  have  failed  to  give  satisfac- 
tion— its  position  above  the  river  being  such  as 
to  afford  no  point  for  the  proper  placing  of  the 
camera;  but  a  second  visit  made  for  the  purpose 
of  trying  was  far  from  being  a  loss,  and  part 
of  the  reward  consisted  of  finding  among  the 
sheltered  rocks,  scarcely  three  feet  above  the 
floor,  two  humming  birds'  nests  with  their 
treasure  of  small  eggs,  and  our  little  companion 
who  discovered  them  was  pleased  to  leave  them 
untouched. 

SUGAR  TREE-  HOLLOW  CAVE. 

The  name  of  this  cave  is  due  to  the  fact  that 
the  approach  is  through  a  "hollow"  well  wooded 
with  sugar  maple  trees.  It  is  two  miles  from 
Galena  and  the  drive  a  beautiful  one,  as  much 
of  the  way  is  through  the  forest  without  a  road, 
but  with  a  charming  little  rushing,  crooked 
stream  of  clear,  cold  water:  and  in  places  the 
green  slopes  give  way  to  mural  bluffs  of  grey 
limestone  in  undisturbed  strata. 

The  entrance  to  the  cave    is    through    a    hole 


Ozarks  and  Black  Hills.  77 

about  two  feet  high  by  three  in  width,  into 
which  we  weut  feet  first  and  wiggled  slowly 
down  an  incline  covered  with  broken  rock,  for  a 
distance  of  fifteen  feet,  where  a  standing  depth 
is  reached.  A  flat,  straight,  level  ceiling  ex- 
tends over  the  whole  cave  without  any  percep- 
tible variation,  and  this  is  bordered  around  its 
entire  length  and  breadth  with  a  heavy  cornice 
of  dripstone,  made  very  ornamental  by  the 
forms  it  assumes,  and  the  multitude  of  depend- 
ing stalactites  that  fall  as  a  fringe  around 
the  wails.  The  line  of  contact  between  the 
cornice  and  ceiling  is  as  clear  and  strong  as  if 
both  had  been  finished  separately  before  the  cor- 
nice was  put  in  place  by  skillful  hands. 

Dripstone  covers  the  walls,  which  vary  in 
height  from  one  foot  to  twenty  feet,  according 
to  the  irregularities  of  the  floor,  just  as  the 
width  of  this  one-room  cave  varies  with  the 
curves  of  the  walls,  which  are  sweeping  and 
graceful,  the  average  being  twenty -nine  feet, 
but  is  much  greater  at  the  entrance  where  the 
entire  slope  extends  out  beyond  the  body  of  the 
eave.  The  length,  from  north  to  south,  meas- 
ures two  hundred  and  thirty -three  feet  exclusive 
of  an  inaccessible  extension. 

The  south  end  of  the  cave  rises  by  a  steep 
slope  to  within  a  foot  of  the  ceiling  with  which 
it  is  connected  by  short  but  heavy  columns  of 
dripstone,  and  another  line  of  pillars  of    gradu- 


78  Cave  Regions  of  the 

ated  height  meets  this  at  right  angles  near  the 
middle  and  ends  in  an  immense  stalagmite  that 
stands  at  the  foot  of  the  slope  like  a  grand  new- 
el post. 

There  is  no  standing  water  in  the  cave,  but 
everything  is  wet  with  drip,  and  consequently 
the  formation  of  onyx  is  actively  progressing 
and  the  south  slope  already  mentioned  shows  a 
curious  succession  of  changes  in  cave  affairs. 
By  the  slow  action  of  acidulated  waters,  the 
grey  limestone  deteriorated  into  a  yellowish 
clay-bank,  and  now  its  particles  are  being  re- 
united into  solid  rock  by  the  deposit  of  calcium 
carbonate  from  the  drip. 

A  careful  test  of  the  temperature  of  the  atmos- 
phere showed  it  to  be  fifty-eight  degrees. 

PINE    RUN    CAVE. 

This  also  is  a  small  cave  easily  visited  from 
Galena,  being  less  than  two  miles  distant  on  the 
Marionville  road.  The  entrance  faces  the  road 
and  is  on  the  same  level,  consequently  it  is  one 
of  the  easiest  to  visit.  Just  within  is  seen  an 
opening  in  the  ceiling,  which  we  are  told  is  one 
of  the  two  ways  to  an  upper  chamber  whose 
chief  attraction  is  a  dripstone  piano,  and  the 
means  of  ascending  is  at  hand  in  the  form  of  a 
Spanish  ladder;  but  an  attempt  of  that  sort 
might  even  cause  the  new  woman  to  hesitate, 
and  who  hesitates  is  lost.     The    ascent    was  not 


Ozarks  and  Black  Hills.  79 

made.  We  advanced  on  a  level  with  the  road 
for  a  distance  of  perhaps  twenty  feet,  when  the 
direction  of  the  cave  changed  with  a  right  an- 
gular turn  and  we  were  in  a  straight  gallery 
about  two  hundred  and  fifty  feet  long  and 
fifteen  feet  in  width,  the  height  gradually  de- 
creasing to  about  three  feet  towards  the  upper 
end,  where  it  widened  out  into  a  low  but  broad 
chamber.  The  floor  of  this  chamber  is  most 
beautiful.  It  is  composed  of  a  series  of  con- 
nected calcite  bowls  whose  beautifully  fluted 
rims  are  of  regular  and  uniform  height,  and  all 
are  equally  filled  with  clear,  still  water.  A 
great  number  of  these  basins  are  said  to  have 
been  destroyed  by  an  ax  in  the  hands  of  a  poor 
witless  creature  for  the  gratification  of  a  burst 
of  temper,  and  a  magnificent  stalagmitic  column, 
too  heavy  for  one  man  to  lift,  lay  detached  and 
broken,  in  proof  that  his  body  did  not  share  the 
feebleness  of  his  mind. 

Beyond  these  basins  is  a  low  passage  through 
which  is  found  the  second  entrance  to  the  upper 
chamber,  but  the  basins  must  be  crossed  in  order 
to  reach  it,  and  this  is  not  an  easy  undertaking 
even  when  their  water  supply  is  low,  bat  in  the 
early  summer  they  are  almost  full. 

There  are  said  to  be  more  than  one  hundred 
caves  in  Stone  County,  one  of  which  is  supposed 
to  be  fully  as  large  as  Marble  Cave,  if  not  larger, 


80  Cave  Regions  of  the 

and  is  located  in  the  southern  part  of  the  county 
but  has  not  been  explored. 

Mill  Cave  is  in  the  northeast  of  the  county, 
and  at  the  entrance  is  a  saw  mill  which  receives 
its  working  power  from  the  cave  stream.  In- 
side the  cave  there  is  a  lake. 

Hermit's  Cave  is  a  few  miles  from  Ga'ena, 
and  is  so  named  on  account  of  having  been 
used  as  a  dwelling  by  its  former  owner,  who 
kept  a  coffin  in  which  he  intended  to  place  him- 
self before  the  final  summons,  but  was  overtaken 
by  death  in  the  forest  and  it  was  never  used. 
He  wrote  sermons  on  the  rocks  in  his  cave  and 
one  of  these  was  afterwards  removed. 

Wolf's  Den  is  also  near  Galena,  and  has  been 
utilized  as  a  sheep  fold. 

Wild  Man's  Cave  is  near  Galena,  and  on  ac- 
count of  the  stories  with  which  people  have  been 
frightened,  can  only  be  visited  by  permission 
and  with  a  guard  stationed  at  the  entrance. 

Reynard's  Cave  is  four  miles  west  of  Galena 
on  the  farm  of  Dr.  Fox,  but  is  so  nearly  filled 
up  with  dripstone  that  only  crawling  room 
remains.  The  doctor's  place  is  a  fine  locality 
for  the  collection  of  fossils. 

At  a  distance  of  twelve  miles  from  Galena 
there  is  said  to  be  a  fine  natural  bridge,  well 
worth  a  visit  and  sufficiently  near  Mill  Cave  for 
both  to  be  seen  on  the  same  trip. 

In  Bread  Tray  Mountain  there  is  supposed  to 


Ozarks  and  Black  Hills.  81 

be  a  cave  through  which  a  torrent  rushes  at 
times,  that  being  the  only  way  in  which  to 
explain  the  strange  thundering,  roaring  noise 
always  heard  after  a  storm,  and  never  at  other 
times. 

Besides  being  a  wonderful  cave  region,  and 
rich  in  the  great  abundance  and  variety  of  native 
fruits  and  fine  timber,  Stone  County  has  a  vast 
amount  of  mineral  wealth,  the  heaviest  deposits 
being  zinc,  lead  and  iron,  with  some  indications 
of  silver,  gold  and  copper,  which  have  been 
found  but  not  in  paying  quantity.  Already 
since  the  summer  of  1896  several  exceptionally 
pure  bodies  of  zinc  have  been  discovered,  the 
white  ore  of  one  recently  opened  deposit  giving 
highly  gratifying  indications  as  to  extent. 
Prospecting  may  be  said  to  have  only  commenced 
in  this  very  far  from  over-crowded  region. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

OREGON  COUNTY  CAVES. 
GREER  SPRING. 

Oregon  County  is  also  at  the  extreme  southern 
limit  of  the  State  of  Missouri  and  was  visited, 
not  because  its  caves  are  supposed  to  be  either 
finer  or  more  numerous  than  those  of  all  the 
other  Ozark  counties,  but  on  account  of  remark- 
able attractions  associated  with  them  that  are 
not  known  to  be  equaled,  or  even  subject  to 
rivalry,  by  any  similar  works  of  nature  in  any 
portion  of  the  world. 

The  most  convenient  railway  point  is  Thayer; 
the  station  hotel  affords  comfortable  accommo- 
dations for  headquarters,  and  the  last  days  of 
September  proved  a  charming  time.  The  foliage 
was  in  full  summer  glory,  refreshed  by  a  gentle 
and  copious  rain,  and  the  insinuating  tick  had 
already  retired  from  active  business  until  the 
following  season. 

The  carriage  having  been  ordered  on  condition 
of  its  being  a  clear  day,  we  left  Thayer  at  eight 
o'clock  on  a  perfect  morning  to  visit  Greer 
Spring,  and  were  soon  in  the  depth  of  the  beau- 
tiful Ozark  forest,  from  which  we  did  not  once 

82 


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~ 

/: 

/. 

a 

* 

Ozarks  and  Black  Hills.  83 

emerge  until  Alton,  the  county  seat,  was  reached, 
the  distance  traveled  being  sixteen  miles.  Here 
we  stopped  for  dinner  at  the  small  hotel  kept  by 
one  of  the  old-time  early  settlers  who  came  to 
the  region  before  the  war.  The  dinner  was  a 
surprise,  and  received  the  highest  commenda- 
tion possible  to  a  dinner,  the  hearty  appreciation 
of  a  boy.  A  young  nephew,  Arthur  J.  Owen, 
having  been  invited  to  act  as  escort  on  the  trip, 
found  all  the  varied  experience  in  cave  hunting 
fully  equal  to  the  pictured  joys  of  anticipation. 
After  a  large  bell  suspended  somewhere  outside 
had  notified  the  business  public  that  dinner  was 
ready  to  be  served,  we  were  invited  to  the  din- 
ing-room, where  on  a  long  table  was  the 
abundance  of  vegetables  afforded  by  the  season 
and  soil  of  an  almost  tropical  state,  and  cooked 
as  the  white-capped  chef  of  the  gre -t  hotel, 
where  the  warm  weeks  were  spent,  had  not 
learned  the  secret  of;  and  the  delicately  fried 
chicken  was  not  of  that  curious  varietv,  common- 
ly  encountered  by  travelers,  in  which  the  de- 
velopment of  legs  robs  the  centiped  of  his  only 
claim  to  distinction.  As  the  dishes  cooled  they 
were  removed  and  fresh  supplies  brought  in. 

Our  driver  received  directions  about  the  road 
and  we  started  on  another  drive  of  seven  miles. 
These  directions  were  "  to  follow  the  main  road 
to  the   forks,    and  then   keep  to  the  Van  Buren 


84  Cave  Begions  of  the 

road  and  any  one  could  tell   us  where  Captain 
Greer  lives." 

The  road  was,  as  before,  through  the  park- 
like forest,  and  as  before,  lay  chiefly  along 
the  ridge,  so  that  where  clearings  had  been 
made  for  farms  there  were  fine  views  over  the 
distant  country,  which  everywhere  was  forest- 
covered  hills,  of  a  rich  green  near  at  hand  but 
changing  with  the  growth  of  distance,  first  to 
dark,  and  then  to  lighter  blue. 

In  these  forests  were  fine  young  cattle  and 
horses,  and  uncounted  numbers  of  ';  razor- 
backs,"  or  as  they  are  otherwise  called,  "  wind- 
splitters."  For  the  benefit  of  those  who  may 
not  be  familiar  with  the  names,  it  might  be  well 
to  explain  that  they  are  the  natural  heirs  of  the 
native  wild  hog  of  Missouri  and  Arkansas.  The 
nephew  was  greatly  amused  at  seeing  many  of 
them  with  wooden  yokes  on  their  long  necks,  to 
prevent  an  easy  entrance  into  fields  and  gardens 
by  squeezing  through  the  spaces  between  fence 
rails.  These  animals  are  such  swift  runners  it 
is  said  they  can  safely  cross  the  railroad  between 
trucks  of  the  fast  express.  Their  snouts  are  so 
long  and  thin,  it  is  also  claimed  that  two  can 
drink  from  a  jug  at  the  same  time;  never  having 
seen  it  done,  however,  this  is  not  vouched  for, 
but  merely  repeated  as  hearsay. 

After  a  time  we  stopped  to  inquire  the  way  of 
an  old  man  dipping  water  from   a   pond   by  the 


Ozarks  and  Black  Hills.  85 

roadside.  He  told  us  he  was  dipping  water  to 
wash  the  wheat  he  was  sowing  in  the  field  just 
over  the  fence,  and  that  we  reach  the  forks,  then 
to  keep  the  Van  Buren  road,  pass  two  houses  on 
the  left,  a  white  one  on  the  right,  another  on  the 
left  and  then  inquire  the  way — anyone  could  tell 
us,  and  Captain  Greer  wouM  show  us  to  the 
Spring,  "  for  he  is  a  mighty  accommodating 
man." 

On  we  went  to  the  forks  where  in  the  point  of 
the  Y  stood  a  large  tree  with  a  Van  Buren  sign- 
board on  one  side,  and  in  the  direction  it  pointed, 
we  turned,  although  rather  reluctantly,  for  it 
looked  little  used  and  rocky,  while  the  other 
was  in  good  condition ;  but  we  followed  the 
sign-board  and  had  no  misgivings  until  it  began 
to  be  realized  that  a  great  deal  of  time  was  being 
passed  but  no  houses.  The  morning  had  been 
very  chilly,  but  now  the  atmosphere  was  just  at 
that  balmy  point  between  warm  and  cool  that 
makes  mere  living  an  unqualified  luxury;  and 
added  to  this  we  soon  found  ourselves  in  a  deep 
canon  no  less  beautiful  than  the  justly  celebrated 
North  Cheyenne  Canon  near  Colorado  Springs. 

There  was  now  no  doubt  that  we  were  on  the 
wrong  road,  but  such  magnificence  was  unex- 
pected and  not  to  be  turned  from  with  indif- 
ference. 

For  some  distance  the  road  makes  a  gradual 
and  rather   perilous   looking   descent   along  the 


86  Cave  11  eg  ions  of  the 

steep  and  broken  slope  on  the  shady  side  of  the 
ancient  river's  great  retaining- wall,  while  that 
opposite  is  glorified  by  the  brilliant  glow  of  the 
afternoon  sun,  which  adds  an  equal  charm  to  the 
rich,  luxuriant  foliage  below  and  the  tall  stately 
pines  that  adorn,  without  concealing,  the  grey 
rock  they  proudly  cling  to,  or  that  rises  in  a 
protecting  rampart  three  hundred  feet  higher 
than  the  canon  bed,  with  banners  of  the  long- 
needled  pine  waving  above  to  proclaim  the  perfec- 
tion of  Nature's  undisturbed  freedom. 

The  road  descending  crosses  the  thread  of 
water  still  flowing  among  the  great  rounded 
bowlders  left  by  the  former  torrent,  and  our  view 
is  changed  to  one  of  dense,  but  by  no  means 
melancholy,  shadows,  with  a  crown  of  golden 
sun-light;  and  presently  the  course  of  the  canon 
turns  to  the  east,  and  it  is  all  filled  with  the 
yellow  rays  and  we  notice  the  bright  red  haw- 
thorn berries,  and  masses  of  hydrangea  still 
showing  remnants  of  their  late  profusion  of 
bloom.  We  Missourians  have  a  great  love  of 
line  scenery  and  generally  take  long  journeys 
into  other  states  in  order  to  gratify  the  taste, 
while  quite  unconscious  of  the  wonderful  beauty 
and  grandeur  of  the  Ozarks. 

Where  the  canon  begins  to  broaden  into  a 
small  sheltered  valley  as  it  approaches  Eleven 
Points  River,  we  turned  and  retraced  our  way 
to  the  forks,  and  a  short   distance  beyond   to   a 


Ozarks  and  Black  Hills.  87 

house  where  we  might  again  inquire.  A  woman 
came  to  the  open  door  as  we  stopped  and  in 
answer  to  a  question  said:  "You  ought  to 
have  asked  me  when  you  passed  here  a  while 
ago." 

Apologies  for  the  seeming  neglect  were  offered 
and  accepted,  then  she  explained  that  both 
roads  went  to  Van  Buren  but  not  to  Greer 
Spring,  where  in  due  time  we  at  length  arrived. 

The  house  being  in  one  corner  of  a  "forty  " 
and  the  spring  in  that  diagonally  opposite,  there 
was  a  walk  of  nearly  that  distance  before  coming 
to  an  old  road  inclining  steeply  down  into  what 
looked  to  be  a  narrow  canon.  About  midway  of 
this  sloping  road,  the  space  confined  between 
perpendicular  walls,  rising  to  heights  above  on 
one  side  and  descending  to  the  stream  on  the 
other,  widens  suddenly  and  a  picturesque  old  mill 
comes  into  view,  it  having  been  wholly  screened 
from  the  approach  by  the  rich  growth  of  shrubs 
and  trees.  Chief  in  abundance  among  this  lux- 
ury of  leaf  was  the  hydrangea, — a  favorite  shrub 
largely  imported  into  this  country  from  Japan 
before  it  was  discovered  as  a  native.  The  mill 
site  seems  to  have  been  selected  for  its  beauty 
although  wewere  told  that  at  this  point  the  stream 
is  seventy-two  feet  wide,  and  two  and  one  half 
feet  deep,  but  could  be  raised  thirty  feet  with 
perfect  safety  by  a  dam,  for  which  the  rock  is 
already  on  the  ground   and  much   of  it  broken 


88  Cave  Regions  of  the 

ready  for  use.  The  flow  is  said  to  be  two  hun- 
dred and  eighty  yards  per  minute,  with  no 
appreciable  variation,  and  never  freezes.  The 
high  walls  of  the  Greer  Spring  gorge  will,  of 
course,  far  more  than  double  the  value  it  would 
otherwise  possess,  when  it  becomes  desirable 
to  control  and  turn  to  practical  account  the 
power  now  going  so  cheerily  to  waste,  but  the 
artistic  loss  will  be  proportionately  severe. 

The  old  mill  was  the  scene  of  great  activity 
in  former  times,  but  was  closed  on  account 
of  an  unfortunate  accident  and  for  years  has 
had  no  other  duty  than  simply  to  serve  as  a 
portion  of  the  landscape. 

Just  beyond,  the  canon  makes  a  curving  bend, 
the  road  dwindles  to  a  narrow  path  and  we 
behold  the  most  beautiful  scene  imaginable. 

The  canon  has  come  to  an  end  and  is  shut  in 
by  a  graceful  curve  of  the  high,  perpendicular 
grey  walls  that  are  crowned  with  trees  and 
shrubs,  and  decked  below  with  a  thick  carpet  of 
bright  green  moss.  In  this  basin,  which  is 
nearly  one  hundred  feet  across,  Greer  Spring 
plunges  up  from  beneath  through  on  opening 
nine  feet  in  diameter,  in  the  midst  of  a  pool  of 
water  six  feet  deep,  and  having  an  unvarying 
temperature  of  forty-nine  degrees  throughout 
the  year.  This  water  is  so  perfectly  clear  that 
not  the  least  pebble  is  obscured  from  view,  and 
the  color  scheme  is  most  marvelous. 


o 


Ozarks  and  Black  Hills.  89 

Where  the  great  spring  forces  its  way  to  the 
surface,  the  water  is  a  deep,  brilliant  blue  with 
white  caps,  and  its  falling  weight  keeps  clear 
of  moss  a  large  spot  of  fine,  pure,  white  sand- 
stone, while  all  the  balance  appears  a  vivid  green 
from  the  moss  that  thrives  beneath  the  moving 
water;  and  surrounding  these  are  the  handsome, 
foliage-decked  grey  walls.  The  edges  of  the 
basin  are  thickly  strewn  with  fallen  rocks 
deeply  covered  with  moss,  in  which  small  ferns 
are  growing,  and  on  these  gay  stepping  stones 
we  crossed  to  the  head-wall  of  the  canon  to  find 
ourselves  at  the  open  mouth  of  a  cave  from 
which  flows  a  clear,  shallow  stream  to  join 
the  waters  of  the  Spring  in  that  wonderful 
basin.  The  entrance  to  the  cave  is  an  arch 
about  fifteen  feet  wide  and  twelve  feet 
high,  with  the  clear,  shallow  stream  spreading 
over  the  clean  rock  floor  from  side  to  side. 
Here  now  was  presented  a  difficulty.  Truly  the 
cave  was  not  quite  dry.  The  water  was  about 
ten  inches  deep,  and  my  boots  in  Thayer.  Con- 
trary to  advice,  however,  my  nephew  had 
brought  his,  and  with  a  boy's  kindness  loaned 
them  while  he  made  the  trip  with  bare  feet  and 
rolled  up  trousers. 

A  short  distance  within,  the  cave  widens  and 
the  floor  of  the  extension  being  somewhat 
higher,  is  dry,  but  the  roof  drops  so  low  over 
it  that    the   water-course    is    an  easier    route    of 


90  Cace  Regions  of  the 

travel ;  and  this  soon  widens  into  a  lake  above 
which  the  cei-ing  rises  in  a  broad  dome  less 
than  twenty  feet  in  height,  and  hung  with 
heavy  masses  of  dripstone  draperies  of  va- 
rying length,  from  five  to  seven  feet;  and  all 
the  ceilings  are  fringed  at  various  heights  with 
stalactites  of  every  size  and  age,  some  being 
a  clear,  colorless  onyx,  while  others  proclaim 
their  great  age  in  the  fact  that  they  have  so 
deteriorated  that  the  onyx  texture  is  either  part- 
ly or  completely  lost,  and  what  was  once  a  pure 
drip  crystal  has  returned  to  a  common,  porous, 
dull-colored  limestone  so  soft  that  portions  can 
be  rubbed  to  powder  in  the  hand. 

Picking  the  way  carefully  as  the  depth  of  the 
lovely  lake  increased,  we  followed  the  sound  of 
falling  water  and  peered  into  the  dark  dis- 
tance in  a  vain  effort  to  see  it,  yet  expecting  to 
reach  that  special  object  of  interest  by  keeping 
to  the  shallower  parts  of  the  lake.  These  ex- 
pectations were  shattered  suddenly  when  the 
boots  filled  with  water,  and  that  called  to  mind 
the  fact  that  twenty-three  miles  and  a  chilly 
night  lay  between  us  and  dry  clothing;  so  we 
returned  to  the  outside  world  and  rested  on 
the  rocks  where  Captain  Greer  and  our  young 
driver  waited  for  us.  The  cave  has  never  been 
fully  explored,  and  probably  we  penetrated  far- 
ther than   others   have  ever   done,  as   the  owner 


Ozarks  and  Black  Hills.  91 

knew   nothing  of  the   falling   water  we    so  dis- 
tinctly heard  and  were  surely  very  near. 

The  view  from  the  rocks  is  wonderfully 
beautiful  and  includes  both  the  entrance  to  the 
cave,  with  its  flowing  stream,  and  the  receiving 
basin  with  its  bounding  stream.  But  it  was 
growing  late  in  the  afternoon,  and  there  was 
another  cave  whose  entrance  was  in  the  perpen- 
dicular wall  above  the  end  of  the  path  by  which 
we  had  come.  This  entrance  could  be  reached 
by  a  dilapidated  ladder;  assisted  by  a  forked 
pole  and  supplied  with  candles  and  matches, 
my  nephew  and  I  achieved  the  ascent  with  not 
much  trouble.  Here  we  found  what  is,  no 
doubt,  one  of  the  oldest  caves  known. 

The  original  cavity  is  nearly  filled  up  with  masses 
of  onyx — colorless  crystal  and  white  striped  with 
pale  shades  of  grey.  The  cave  is  perfectly  dry  and 
freshly  broken  surfaces  in  some  places  show 
signs  of  deterioration,  so  how  can  we  venture 
even  a  guess  as  to  the  time  it  has  required  to 
first  excavate  the  cave  and  then  fill  it  with 
masses  of  rock  deposited  by  the  slow  drip  pro- 
cess, and  later,  for  that  crystalline  rock  in  a 
now  dry  atmosphere  to  present  a  perceptible 
weakening?  We  went  as  far  as  passages  could 
be  crawled  into,  which  was  no  great  distance, 
and  at  once  started  on  our  uncertain  descent  of 
the  ladder ;  but  this  was  not  a  matter  of  so 
much  concern  as  the  upward  trip,  for  the  success 


92  Cave  Beg  ions  of  the 

of  which  some  doubts  were  entertained;  for 
going  down  is  always  naturally  a  less  certain 
matter,  as  one  can  fall  if  more  desirable  means 
are  unsuccessful,  and  I  have  unexpectedly 
reached  many  coveted  points  in  this  simple 
manner. 

Taking  a  last  look  at  Greer  Spring  with  its 
cave  river,  grey  walls,  gay  with  foliage,  and  all 
the  harmony  of  color  and  form  combined  in  the 
narrow  canon  that  was  once  the  main  body  of  a 
great  cave,  I  recalled  views  on  the  Hudson 
River  and  in  the  mountains  of  Maryland,  Vir- 
ginia and  Pennsylvania,  and  others  out  in  the 
Rocky  Mountains  in  Colorado  and  the  Wau- 
satch  in  Utah,  but  amid  all  their  wonderful 
grandeur  and  famous  beauty,  could  remember 
no  spot  superior  to  this  masterpiece  of  the 
Ozarks. 

The  proprietor  of  the  Spring  and  a  thous- 
and acres  of  land  adjacent,  took  personal 
possession  on  the  day  of  Lincoln's  first  election, 
to  establish  a  home. 

The  sun  having  failed  to  consider  our  wishes 
was  now  about  to  disappear  in  a  gleaming  flood 
of  gold,  so  the  return  to  Thayer  that  night  was 
out  of  the  question.  Our  host  and  his  wife  ob- 
served that  fact  and  cordially  invited  us  to  re- 
main for  the  night  and  as  much  longer  as  we 
would  like  to,  but  bt-ing  unwilling  to  impose  on 
kindness  to  su^h    an  extent,  we  returned  to   the 


Ozarks  and  Black  Hills.  93 

hotel  in  Alton,  and  now  urgently  advise  that 
those  who  ever  have  an  opportunity  to  enjoy  a 
moonlight  drive  through  the  Ozark  forests 
should  not  let  it   pass  unimproved. 

OTHER      CAVES    NEAR    BY. 

About  twelve  miles  from  Alton  there  are 
three  other  caves  worthy  of  attention.  Two  of 
these  are  known  only  as  The  Saltpetre  Caves, 
and  the  third  as  The  Bat  Cave. 

Not  many  persons  care  to  visit  the  Bat  Cave, 
for  although  its  inhabitants  are  small,  they 
have  evidently  decided  to  profit  by  the  experi- 
ence of  the  Red  Man  and  take  no  risks  through 
hospitality.  Their  warnings  can  be  heard  like 
distant  thunder  for  some  distance  outside  the 
cave,  and  any  unheeding  intruder  is  set  upon  in 
fury  by  such  vast  numbers  of  the  little  creat- 
ure s  that  his  only  safety  is  in  hasty  retreat. 

During  the  war  the  two  Saltpetre  Caves  were 
worked  to  a  considerable  extent,  and  also  served 
as  safe  retreats  for  the  residents  of  the  region, 
as  well  as  the  visiting  "Jonny,"  when  the  vi- 
cinity became  oppressively  "blue." 

Both  of  these  caves  are  especially  notable  on 
account  of  the  fine  stalactites  with  which  they 
are  abundantly  supplied;  most  of  them  being 
snow  white  and  from  fourteen  to  twenty  feet  in 
length. 

Unfortunately,  most  of  the  caves  in  this  region 
have   been   deprived  of  great  quantities  of  their 


94  Cave  Begions  of  the 

beautiful  adornments  by  visitors  who  are  allowed 
to  choose  the  best  and  remove  it  in  such  quanti- 
ties as  may  suit  their  convenience  and  pleasure. 
Those  who  own  the  caves,  and  those  who  visit 
them,  would  do  well  to  remember  that  if  all  the 
natural  adornment  should  be  allowed  to  remain 
in  its  original  position,  it  would  continue  to 
afford  pleasure  to  man}''  persons  for  an  indefinite 
time;  but  if  broken,  removed,  and  scattered  the 
pleasure  to  a  few  will  be  comparatively  little 
and  that  short-lived.  The  gift  of  beauty  should 
always  be  honored  and  protected  for  the  public 
good. 

We  were  not  so  fortunate  as  to  discover  fossils 
of  any  kind  in  this  locality,  although  the  search 
was  by  no  means  thorough ;  but  even  if  it  had 
been  the  result  might  have  been  the  same,  since 
that  county  and  others  adjoining  have  been 
mapped  as  Cambrian.  The  greater  part  of  the 
exposed  rock  is  a  fine  sandstone  almost  as  white 
as  gypsum  on  a  fresh  fracture,  and  much  of  it 
is  ripple-marked  so  as  to  show  a  beautifully 
iluted  surface  of  remarkable  regularit}7.  These 
ripple  flutings  are  sometimes  more  than  an  inch 
in  width,  and  often  less,  but  the  variations  never 
appear  on  the  same  level,  the  smallest  being  seen 
on  the  hiil-tops  and  the  larger  outcropping  on 
the  downward  slopes. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

THE  GRAND  GULF. 

Oregon  County,  Missouri,  is  also  fortunate  in 
having  within  its  limits  the  Grand  Gulf,  which 
has  been  declared  by  competent  judges  to  be 
one  of  the  wonders  of  the  world  ;  and  it  offers  a 
combination  of  attractions  that  certainly  entitles 
it  to  an  important  place  among  a  limited  few  of 
America's  choicest  scenes. 

The  Gulf  is  nearly  nine  miles  northwest  of 
Thayer,  Missouri,  and  about  equally  distant  from 
Mammoth  Spring  in  Arkansas,  just  a  little  south 
of  the  Missouri  state  line.  The  drive  is  a 
pleasant  one,  as  the  road  winds  among  the 
forest-clad  hills  and  passes  occasional  fields  of 
cotton  and  corn  ;  but  having  been  macadamized 
in  very  ancient  times  by  the  original  and  all- 
powerful  general  government  of  that  early  period 
is  somewhat  rough,  }Tet  threatens  no  danger 
greater  than  the  destruction  of  wheels. 

The  only  approach  to  the  Gulf  is  over  the  hill- 
tops ;  and  the  entrance  in  past  times,  while  it  was 
still  a  cave,  must  have  been  a  sink-hole  in  the 
roof  of  the  largest  chamber.  This  chamber  is 
now  the  upper  end  of  the  Grand  Gulf,  and  into 

95 


96  Cave  Regions  of  the 

it  we  descended  by  a  rugged  path,  sufficiently 
difficult  to  maintain  expectations  of  grandeur 
that  are  not  doomed  to  disappointment.  The 
precipitous  walls,  two  hundred  feet  in  height, 
bear  a  faithful  record  of  the  energy  of  circling 
floods ;  but  instead  of  frowning,  as  some  good 
people  persistently  accuse  all  noble  heights  of 
doing,  they  seem  to  look  with  conscious  pride 
towards  the  windings  of  the  great  rough  chasm, 
where  every  available  spot  has  been  seized  on 
as  a  homestead  for  some  form  of  vegetation.  All 
the  great,  dark  rock  masses  that  interfere  with 
easy  progress  along  the  lowest  depth,  were  sur- 
rounded by  a  feathery  setting  of  blooming  white 
agaratum  ;  and  each  turn  in  the  winding  course 
reveals  new  charms  of  rock  and  verdure  with 
their  varying  lights  and  shadows  until  the 
crowning  glory  is  reached  at  the  Natural  Bridge, 
about  twelve  hundred  feet  from  the  upper  end 
of  the  canon.  This  bridge  is  magnificent.  It 
was  impossible  to  secure  photographs  because 
the  abrupt  curve  by  which  it  is  approached 
gave  no  point  of  view  for  a  small  camera ;  and  it 
was  equally  impossible  to  reach  desirable  points 
for  taking  measurements,  but  the  open  arch  is 
not  less  than  twenty  feet  wide  and  considerably 
more  than  that  in  height.  From  the  floor  or 
bed  of  the  Gulf  to  the  road  that  crosses  the 
bridge  is  more  than  two  hundred  feet.  The 
passage    under    the   bridge    makes  a  curve,    the 


Ozarks  and  Black  Hills.  97 

shortest  side  of  which  measures  exactly  two 
hundred  and  nineteen  feet,  and  as  the  width 
varies  from  twenty  to  forty  feet,  the  other  side 
is  longer.  Most  of  the  floor  is  flat  and  level  as 
also  is  the  ceiling,  the  greatest  irregularities 
being  along  the  wall  of  greater  length  which 
shows  at  what  points  the  rushing  water  has  spent 
its  force.  No  water  flows  through  here  now 
except  in  times  of  heavy  rainfall.  The  other  end 
of  the  bridge  has  a  somewhat  smaller  span  but  is 
very  handsome,  and  the  outward  views  from 
both  are  exceedingly  fine.  After  traversing 
about  four  hundred  feet  more  of  the  beautiful, 
high-walled  Gulf,  we  stood  before  the  grand 
entrance  to  the  cave,  which  is  strikingly  similar 
to  the  first  arch  of  the  bridge.  The  only  picture 
I  was  able  to  get  was  taken  from  the  slope  of  the 
Bridge-crown,  one  hundred  feet  below  the  road, 
and  merely  gives  a  suggestion  of  the  magnificence 
waiting  peacefully  for  the  crowds  of  eager  and 
enthusiastic  sight-seers  who  will  in  the  near 
future  rush  to  this  charming  region  in  the  '  'Land 
of  the  Big  Red  Apple." 

My  companions  were  the  same  as  mentioned 
in  the  preceding  chapter,  a  nephew,  James 
Arther  Owen,  and  an  obliging,  tall  young  man 
of  twenty,  who  acted  as  guide  and  driver. 

Relieving  ourselves  of  all  superfluous  burdens 
just  within  the  cave  entrance,  we  lighted  candles 
and  sat  down    to    wait   for   our    eyes  to    adjust 


98  Cave  Beg  ions  of  the 

themselves  to  the  changed  condition,  from  bril- 
liant sunlight  to  absolute  darkness,  broken  only 
by  the  feeble  strength  of  three  candles.  It  was 
noticeable  that  in  the  moist  atmosphere  of  the 
Missouri  caves,  three  candles  were  not  more 
than  equal  to  one  in  the  dry  caves  of  South 
Dakota. 

Very  soon  we  were  able  to  continue  the  inspec- 
tion of  our  surroundings,  and  the  large  passage 
we  were  in  would  more  properly  be  called  a 
long  chamber,  of  irregular  width  but  averaging 
about  thirty  feet.  This  ends  abruptly  nearly 
five  hundred  feet  from  the  entrance,  but  a  small 
passage  scarcely  more  than  six  feet  high  runs 
off  at  right  angles,  and  into  this  we  turn.  It  is 
not  quite  so  nearly  dry  as  the  outer  chamber,  and 
at  a  distance  of  less  than  one  hundred  feet  we 
suddenly  come  to  the  end  of  dry  land  at  an 
elbow  of  the  silently  flowing  river  whose  channel 
we  had  almost  stepped  into.  The  ceiling  dipped 
so  we  were  not  able  to  stand  straight,  and  the 
guide  said  he  had  never  gone  farther;  but  to  his 
surprise  here  was  a  light  boat  which  I  am  ready 
to  admit  he  displayed  no  eagerness  to  appropri- 
ate to  his  own  use,  and  swimming  about  it,  close 
to  shore,  were  numerous  small,  eyeless  fish,  pure 
white  and  perfectly  fearless;  the  first  I  had  ever 
seen,  and  little  beauties. 

By  burning  magnesium  ribbon  we  saw  that 
the  passage  before  us  was  a  low  arch  and  occu- 


Ozarks  and  Black  Hills.  00 

pied  from  wall  to  wall  by  water,  the  direction  of 
the  flow  being  into  another  of  somewhat  greater 
size  at  right  angles  to  that  by  which  we  had 
come,  and  at  the  mouth  of  this  lay  the  boat. 
The  distance  we  could  see  in  either  direction 
was  of  tantalizing  shortness,  and  the  boat  was 
provided  with  no  means  of  guidance  or  control, 
save  an  abundance  of  slender  twine  which 
secured  it  to  a  log  of  drift  from  the  outside ;  so 
I  decided  to  leave  my  companions  in  charge  of 
the  main  coil  of  twine  while  I  went  on  an  excur- 
sion alone,  there  being  not  much  evident  cause 
for  apprehension  as  no  living  cow  could  ever 
have  made  the  trip  to  this  favored    spot. 

Although  the  water  looked  perfectly  placid, 
the  boat  drifted  with  surprising  speed,  so  that 
the  two  scared  faces  peering  after  me  were  soon 
lost  sight  of.  The  channel  was  nowhere  more 
than  six  feet  wide,  consequently  as  the  boat 
inclined  to  drive  against  either  wall  I  was  able 
with  care  to  keep  it  off  the  rocks  with  my 
hands,  and  in  the  same  way  guide  it  around  the 
sharp  turns  in  safety.  After  several  of  these 
turns  there  appeared  the  mouth  of  a  passage  so 
much  smaller  that  the  roof  was  only  twelve 
inches  above  the  sides  of  the  boat  and  I 
could  touch  both  walls  at  the  same  time.  By 
running  the  boat  across  this  it  was  held  in  place 
by  the  current,  and  I  could  sit  at  ease  and  enjoy 
the  position,   which   even  the  least   imaginative 


100  Cave  Begions  of  the 

person  can  readily  conceive  to  have  been  a 
novel  one. 

The  small  eyeless  fish  had  been  noticeable  in 
the  water  everywhere  but  now  came  swimming 
about  the  boat  in  an  astonishing  multitude,  and 
as  unconscious  of  any  possible  danger  as  bees  in 
a  flower  garden.  Having  no  eyes,  they  were 
naturally  undisturbed  by  the  light,  so  the  candle 
could  be  held  close  to  the  water  for  a  satisfac- 
tory examination  of  the  happy  creatures. 

They  bore  a  striking  resemblance  to  minnows, 
although  a  few  were  larger,  and  it  is  claimed 
that  four  or  five  inches  are  sizes  not  unusual, 
but  they  happened  not  to  be  on  exhibition. 
Even  dipping  a  hand  into  the  water  in  their 
midst  occasioned  no  alarm,  and  they  might 
have  been  caught  by  dozens. 

The  guide  now  loudly  called  that  he  had  fears 
of  the  twine  being  cut  on  the  sharp  edges  of 
rock,  and  that  cutting  off  all  possibility  of  the 
boats  return,  which  being  sufficiently  reason- 
able, explorations  were  indefinitely  suspended, 
and  a  landing  soon  made.  The  camera  and 
flash-light  were  then  prepared  for  taking  a  view, 
and  a  point  of  light  being  needed  to  work  by  the 
nephew  was  asked  to  sit  in  the  boat  with  his 
candle,  to  which  he  readily  consented;  but  judg- 
ing from  the  developed  picture  it  may  be 
doubted  if  his  pleasure  at  the  time  was  extreme- 
ly keen. 


Ozarks  and  Black  Hills.  101 

On  leaving  the  cave  the  guide  said  it  would 
not  be  necessary  to  return  to  the  upper  end  of 
the  Gulf  in  order  to  reach  the  surface,  as  the 
ascent  could  be  made  in  another  place;  and 
leading  the  way  to  the  left  of  the  entrance  he 
started  up  the  nearly  perpendicular  wall,  more 
than  two  hundred  feet  high,  by  a  sort  of  "  blind 
trail  "  that  would  have  caused  a  mountain 
sheep  to  sigh  for  wings,  but  it  was  very  beau- 
tiful. 

We  walked  over  to  the  wagon  road  on  the 
high  ridge  above  the  middle  of  the  bridge  and 
going  down  the  forest-clad  slopes  to  the  perpen- 
dicular wall  in  which  is  the  smaller  of  the  great 
arches,  admired  from  this  fair  point  of  view 
the  marvelous  grandeur  of  one  of  the  greatest 
natural  wonders. 

The  weather  being  perfect  after  a  rain  the 
day  before,  there  was  no  need  of  haste  to  get  in- 
doors, so  we  lingered  into  the  afternoon  and 
then  drove  to  the  Mammoth  Spring,  in  Arkansas, 
a  short  distance  south  of  the  Missouri  state  line, 
where  the  Cave  River,  just  visited,  comes  to  the 
surface  in  a  hounding  spring  of  great  force. 
The  distance  being  little  less  than  nine  miles. 

The  basin  filled  by  the  Spring  might  be  called 
a  lake,  as  its  size  of  two  hundred  by  three  hun- 
dred feet  gives  it  that  appearance,  and  the  co'or 
is  a  remarkable  deep  blue.  The  volume  of 
water  is    so    nearly    uniform    that   the    height 


102  Cave  Reyions. 

seldom  varies  more  than  two  or  three  inches, 
but  three  years  ago  a  storm  of  unusual  violence 
carried  out  most  of  the  native  fish,  and  in 
restocking  from  Government  supplies,  the  clear, 
cold  water  suggested  an  experiment  with 
mountain  trout  which  are  found  to  be  doing  well. 

Where  Mammoth  Spring  flows  out  its  power 
is  utilized  by  a  flour  mill  on  one  bank  and  a  cotton 
mill  on  the  other,  and  the  water  flowing  on 
forms  Spring  River,  well  known  for  the  charm 
of  its  beautiful  scenery. 

This  Spring  is  described  by  Dr.  David  Dale 
Owen  in  his  First  Report  of  a  Geological  Recon- 
noissance  of  the  northern  counties  of  Arkansas, 
1857  and  1858,   pp.  60-61. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

THE    BLACK    HILLS    AND    BAD    LANDS. 

In  order  to  thoroughly  appreciate  and  enjoy 
the  wonderful  caves  of  South  Dakota,  which  are 
found  within  the  limits  of  the  Black  Hills,  it  is 
necessary  to  have  some  knowledge  of  the  geol- 
ogical character  and  history  of  that  peculiar 
region. 

Prof.  J.  E.  Todd,  State  Geologist,  in  his 
1 '  Preliminary  Report  on  the  Geology  of  South 
Dakota,"  gives  an  interesting  "Historical  Sketch 
of  Explorations"  in  his  state,  beginning  with 
the  expedition  of  Captains  Lewis  and  Clark  to 
the  upper  Missouri  regions  in  1804  -6  to  explore 
that  portion  of  the  recent  Louisiana  Purchase 
for  the  government  and  notify  the  Indians  of 
the  transfer ;  and  including  all  other  important 
expeditions  since  that  time  down  to  his  own 
official  tour  of  the  Black  Hills  and  Bad  Lands 
in  1894.  His  own  descriptions  are  so  concise 
and  graphic  as  to  invite  quotation.  Of  the 
Hills  he  says: 

"The  Black  Hills  have  an  area  of  five-thous- 
and square  miles  of  a  rudely  elliptical  form  with 
its  major  axis,  approximately,  north-northwest. 

103 


104  Cave  Regions  of  the 

Most  of  this  area  lies  within  our  state.  The 
true  limit  of  the  Hills  is  quite  distinctly  marked 
by  a  sharp  ridge  of  sandstone,  three  hundred  to 
six  hundred  feet  in  relative  height,  which  be- 
comes broader  and  more  plateau-like  towards 
the  north  and  south  ends.  This  ridge  is  sepa- 
rated from  the  higher  mass  of  hills  within 
by  a  valley  one  to  three  miles  in  breadth,  which 
is  known  as  the  Red  Valley,  from  its  brick-red 
soil,  or  the  'race  course,'  which  name  was  giv- 
en it  by  the  Indians  because  of  its  open  and 
smooth  character,  affording  easy  and  rapid  pas- 
sage around  the  Hills.  The  junction  of  the 
outer  base  of  the  Hills  with  the  surrounding 
table  lands  has  an  altitude  of  three  thousand, 
five  hundred  to  four  thousand  feet.  Within  this 
Red  Valley  one  gradually  ascends  the  outer 
slope  of  the  Hills  and  soon  enters,  at  an  altitude 
of  four  thousand  five  hundred  or  live  thousand 
feet,  the  woody  portion  of  the  region.  This  outer 
slope  varies  greatly  in  width  and  is  underlaid 
by  older  sedimentary  rocks,  cut  in  almost  every 
direction  by  narrow  deep  canons.  This  feature 
covers  nearly  the  whole  of  the  western  half  of 
the  Hills  proper,  where  erosion  has  been  less 
active  on  account  of  its  distance  from  the  main 
channels  of  drainage.  Usually,  from  the  broken 
interior  edge  of  this  slope  or  sedimentary  pla- 
teau one  descends  a  bluff  or  escarpment,  and 
enters    the    central    area     of     slates,     granite, 


Ozarks  and  Black  Hilts.  105 

and  quartzites,  which  is  carved  into  high 
ridges  and  sharp  peaks  cut  by  many  narrow  and 
deep  valleys  and  ravines  and  generally  thickly 
timbered  with  the  common  pine  of  the  Rocky 
Mountains.  Toyrard  the  south,  about  Harney 
Peak,  the  surface  is  peculiarly  rugged  and  diffi- 
cult to  traverse.  Toward  the  north,  also,  about 
Terry  and  Custer  peaks,  a  smaller  rugged  sur- 
face appears ;  but  in  the  central  area  between 
and  extending  west  of  the  Harney  range  is  a 
region  which  is  characterized  by  open  and  level 
parks  much  lower  than  the  surrounding  peaks 
and  ridges." 

The  Archaean  rocks  which  form  the  core  of 
the  Hills  mark  the  center  of  the  various  uplifts 
which  have  attended  their  formation  and  con- 
trolled their  history.  The  coarse  granite  of 
Harney  Peak  indicating  that,  as  the  central 
point  of  the  earli-  st  upheaval,  and  the  three 
p  >rphyries  known  as  rhyolite,  trachyte,  and 
phonolite,  showing  the  uplifts  of  later  periods 
to  have  had  their  centers  a  little  more  to  the 
north,  but  the  entire  area  is  said  to  be  only 
about  sixty  miles  long  and  twenty  five  miles  in 
width.  It  is  exceptionally  rough  and  moun- 
tainous, and  consequently  has  great  charms  for 
the  lover  of  fine  scenery.  Erosion  has  only  par- 
tially denuded  the  peaks  of  the  sedimentary  rocks 
through  which  they  were  thrust  up,  or  by  which 
they    were  overlaid   during  the   earlier  part  of 


106  Cave  Regions  of  the 

several  subsequent  periods  of  submersion.  The 
Hills,  in  those  remote  times,  led  but  a  doubtful 
and  precarious  existence,  being  now  an  isolated 
island  rising  out  of  a  shallow  sea,  and  then, 
owing  to  a  general  subsidence,  submerged  in 
the  ocean  to  so  great  a  depth  that  even  Harney 
Peak  is  supposed  to  have  almost,  if  not  entirely, 
disappeared.  This  up  and  down  motion  con- 
tinued at  intervals  until  the  Fox  Hills  epoch  of 
the  Cretaceous  Age,  at  the  close  of  which  the 
sea  retired  forever  from  that  portion  of  the 
country.  In  the  next  epoch  fresh  water  work  be- 
gan and  extensive  marshes  were  formed,  with  an 
abundant  growth  of  vegetation  and  reptiles. 
There  was  also  much  volcanic  violence  which 
resulted  in  the  line  scenery  in  the  north  end  of 
the  Black  Hills,  and  probably  opened  the  fissures 
to  form  Wind  Cave,  the  Onyx  Caves  in  the 
southern  hills  and  Crystal  Cave  near  the  eastern 
edge  toward  the  north.  This  was  near  the  close 
of  the  Cretaceous  Age.  But  here  is  a  point  on 
which  the  best  authorities  who  have  studied  the 
porphyry  peaks,  have  failed  to  agree;  Prof.  N. 
II.  Winchell  believing  that  the  intrusion  occur- 
red, probably,  during  the  Jura  Trias,  but  as 
Cretaceous  beds,  of  more  recent  date,  are  found 
to  have  been  distorted  by  the  outflow,  it  seems 
that  Professors  Todd,  Newton  and  Carpenter 
hold  the  stronger  position  and  that  the  later 
time  is  correct. 


Ozarks  and  Black  Hills.  107 

No  record  of  the  next  geological  stage,  which 
whs  the  P^oeene,  or  earlier  part  of  the  Tertiary 
Age,  has  been  found  in  the  Hills,  because  they 
were  at  that  time  dry  land  with  gently  flowing, 
shallow  streams,  and  consequently  no  strata 
were  laid  down;  but  they  are  supposed,  through 
later  evidences,  to  have  had  a  tropical  climate 
and  vegetation,  enjoyed  by  large  animals  of 
strange  new  forms.  The  volume  of  fresh  water 
afterwards  became  so  great  that  immense  lakes 
spread  over  large  portions  of  the  west,  one  of 
which  occupied  most  of  the  region  around  the 
Black  Hills  at  the  beginning  of  the  Miocene, 
and  animal  life  was  more  abundant  than  ever 
before  and  of  higher  orders,  many  species  being 
the  same  as  are  now  in  existence.  The  weather 
became  more  and  more  inclement  and  as  the 
storms  increased  the  erosion  of  the  Hills  also 
increased,  and  the  rivers  changed  to  torrents 
with  deep  channels.  Earthquakes  are  supposed 
to  have  occurred  and  also  volcanic  eruptions. 

The  Black  Hills  were  now  rising  steadily,  and 
as  the  slope  of  the  streams  increased,  the  chan- 
nels cut  deeper,  and  the  fissures  now  known  as 
caves  had  long  been  filled  with  water. 

The  most  important  of  the  numerous  animals 
of  the  Tertiary  Age  yet  discovered  in  the  Hills 
and  surrounding  region,  are  the  Titanotherium 
or  Brontotherium,  similar  to  our  Hippopotamus, 
the  Oreodon,   and   a   small   horse    having    three 


108  Cave  Regions  of  the 

toes  on  each  foot.  A  little  later  in  the  same  Age 
the  horses  were  similar  to  those  of  the  present 
time  and  of  equal  size,  which  proves  that  the 
wild  horses  of  the  West  were  not  descended  from 
the  few  lost  by  the  Spanish  Invaders.  At  this 
time  the  first  lions,  camels,  mastodons,  and 
mammoths  also  appeared.  The  remains  of  these 
animals  are  so  abundant  in  places  as  to  indicate 
that  they  perished  in  herds  that  were  over- 
whelmed suddenly  by  great  floods,  and  many, 
no  doubt,  huddled  together  and  perished  with 
cold :  for  with  the  beginning  of  the  present  age 
the  Hills  had  reached  their  highest  elevation, 
the  inclement  weather  increased,  and  the  trop- 
ical climate  suddenly  changed  to  one  extremely 
cold.  It  was  the  beginning  of  the  Glacial 
Period  or  Ice  Age,  when  a  large  portion  of  the 
United  States  is  supposed  to  have  been  covered 
by  a  sheet  of  ice.  The  ice  is  believed  to  have 
entered  South  Dakota  from  the  northeast  and  its 
drift  across  the  state  limited  by  a  line  so  closely 
following  the  present  course  of  the  Missouri 
River  that  many  of  us  would  be  inclined  to  con- 
sider it  the  western  blulf.  Be}rond  this  line  the 
ice  failed  to  push  its  way,  but  the  Hills  were 
subject  to  heavy  rain  storms  that  filled  the 
streams  and  carried  large  quantities  of  bowlders 
and  other  eroded  material,  both  coarse  and  fine, 
down  into  the  valleys  and  over  the  lower  hills, 
where  much  of  the  moderately  coarse  can   now 


Ozarks  and  Black  Hills.  109 

be  seen  exposed  on  the  surface,  and  fine  speci- 
mens collected  without  the  use  of  a  hammer. 
The  brilliantly  colored,  striped  and  mottled 
agates,  and  the  bright,  delicate  tints  of  the 
quartz  crystal,  are  paiticularly  attractive  to  the 
majority  of  visitors.  The  beauty  of  these  gaily 
colored  rocks  is  quite  extensively  utilized  by  the 
inhabitants  of  the  southern  and  southeastern 
hills  to  supply  the  place  of  growing  plants  which 
are  generally  denied  by  the  inconvenience  of  the 
water  supply.  The  quartzite  of  the  Hills  is  well 
crystallized  and  heavy.  I  have  one  beautiful 
specimen  of  the  dark  Indian  red  variety  through 
which  passes  a  narrow  line  of  pale  blue,  and  the 
yellow  quartzite  or  jasper  sometimes  shows 
dendrite  markings.  Very  great  quantities  of 
agates  and  jasper,  mostly  in  small  pieces,  but 
unlimited  variety,  are  to  be  seen  in  portions  of 
the  Bad  Lands,  south  of  the  fork  of  the  Cheyenne 
River,  with  an  almost  equal  abundance  of 
baculites  and  numerous  other  fossils. 

The  wide  expanse  of  deep  ravines  and  sharp, 
barren  ridges  in  the  Bad  Lands  is  a  unique 
departure  from  the  usual  phases  of  natural 
scenery  that  inspire  interest  and  wonder,  but  no 
great  admiration,  until  one  soon  learns  that  the 
law  of  compensation  has  been  strictly  observed. 
The  beauty  of  vegetation  denied  those  desolate 
buttes  and  ridges  is  atoned  for  by  a  marvelous 
abundance  of  most  wonderful  crystals  of  aragon- 


110        .  Cave  Beg  ions  of  the 

ite,  calcite,  barite  and  satin  spar ;  each  to  itself, 
or  two  or  more  combined  in  beautiful  geodes  or 
else  arranged  in  great  flat  slabs  crystallized  on 
both  sides  of  a  thin  sheet  of  lime.  These  slabs 
are  composed  of  crystals  of  uniform  size  and  of 
a  pale  green  tint.  But  the  geodes  show  some 
striking  combinations  of  both  crystals  and  colors 
with  an  exterior  formed  like  box  work,  com- 
posed of  a  very  heavy  dark  material  said  to 
be  a  mixture  of  barium,  calcium  and  iron.  The 
interior  may  be  a  bright  green  or  lemon  yellow,  or 
perhaps  the  two  in  combination,  while  others 
yet  may  be  either  of  these  varieties  with  the 
addition  of  flat  crystals  of  almost  transparent 
satin  spar.  These  crystals  also  occur  in  masses 
of  the  same  box-like  formation  rising  just 
so  much  above  the  surface  of  the  barren  ridge 
they  occupy  as  to  give  it  the  appearance  of  a 
prairie  dog  town.  One  hill-top  over  which  an 
abundance  of  detached  crystals,  of  the  palest 
water-green  tint,  has  been  spread,  gave  the  im- 
pression of  being  covered  with  crushed  ice. 
This  transformation  from  a  richly  tropical  to  a 
marvelously  barren  region,  was  accomplished 
during  the  time  when  storms  reigned  over  the 
Hills  and  ice  ruled  the  country  to  the  north  and 
east. 

The  long  slender  barite  crystals  of  a  bright 
golden  brown  color  are  especially  beautiful  but 
are  generally  seen  in  the  specimen  stores,  as  the 


Ozarks  and  Black  Hills.  Ill 

deposit  is  confined  to  limited  areas  and  the  few 
persons  familiar  with  the  locations  arc  not  over 
anxious  to  introduce  the  general  public. 

The  fossil  remains  previously  referred  to  are 
of  course  only  a  few  of  the  most  important,  but 
it  is  remarked  as  a  curious  and  notable  fact  that 
among  the  fossils  of  the  lower  orders  of  life  in 
the  Bad  Lands,  the  heads  have  not  been  pre- 
served. On  account  of  scarcity  of  water  it  is 
necessary  for  parties  to  carry  a  supply  even 
when  they  expect  to  be  in  the  vicinity  of  the 
Cheyenne  River  xnd  probably  ford  the  South 
fork,  as  these  waters  carry  in  solution  a  quan- 
tity of  alkali  that  renders  them  unlit  for  drink- 
ing, although  the  effects  would  not  be  fatal  but 
simply  the  extreme  reverse  of  pleasant. 

No  caves  have  been  discovered  in  the  Bad 
Lands,  unless  that  name  be  applied  to  some  of 
the  geodes  which  are  really  grottoes,  they  being 
of  sufficient  size  for  a  man  to  stand  in.  The 
Black  Hills,  however,  contain  some  of  the  most 
remarkable  caves  ever  yet  discovered,  of  which 
those  of  greates  timportance  are  Wind  Cave  and 
the  three  Onyx  Caves  near  Hot  Springs,  in  the 
southeastern  part  of  the  Hills,  and  Crystal  Cave 
near  Piedmont,  in  the  northeast.  All  of  these 
occur  in  the  Carboniferous  Limestone  which 
forms  an  outer  belt  around  the  central  mass  or 
core  of  the   Hills   and  no  doubt,  as    previously 


112  Cave  Regions. 

suggested,  owes  its  fissures  to  earthquakes  which 
preceded  or  accompanied  the  porphyry  intrusions 
by  which  in  some  localities  its  strata  have 
been  thrown  into  a  vertical  position. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

WIND  CAVE. 

Wind  Cave  was  discovered  in  1881  by  a  hunt- 
er named  Thomas  Bingham,  who  being  weary 
of  a  fruitless  chase  sat  down  to  rest,  and  was 
soon  startled  by  the  sound  of  rushing  wind  on  a 
calm  day;  and  at  the  same  time  by  a  singular 
hair-raising  sensation,  as  his  hat  was  lifted  from 
his  head  and  thrown  high  in  the  air.  He  is 
said  to  have  afterwards  declared  that  although 
frightened  nearly  out  of  his  wits, he  determined  to 
find  the  cause  of  his  alarm,  and  on  turning 
slightly  discovered  a  hole  about  eight  by  twelve 
inches  in  size  through  which  a  roaring  wind 
was  issuing  from  the  earth.  As  his  hair  main- 
tained the  aggressive  attitude  taken,  the  recov- 
ered hat  could  not  be  returned  to  its  usual  place, 
so  an  hour  was  spent  in  laying  it  across  the 
opening  and  watching  its  instant  projection  into 
upper  space;  after  which  he  set  out  to  tell  of 
the  wonderful  discovery.  The  announcement, 
however,  was  not  received  seriously  and  he  was 
assured  of  the  impossibility  of  the  wind  blowing 
through  a  hill  of  solid  rock,  and  his  brother  ex- 
plained to  him  that  he  had  been  too  self-indul- 

113 


114  Cave  Regions  of  the 

gent  and  consequently  imagined  the  whole  affair. 
A  protest  of  total  abstinence  failed  to  inspire 
confidence,  but  the  brother  promised  to  go  the 
next  day  to  see  for  himself,  and  did.  The  hat 
was  again  placed  over  the  opening  as  before,  but 
instead  of  taking  the  expected  lofty  flight,  it 
was  drawn  in  and  has  never  since  been  seen : 
the  current  had  reversed.  Soon  after  this  the 
hole  was  enlarged  to  eighteen  by  thirty  inches 
and  the  cave  entered  by  quite  a  number  of  ven- 
turesome persons  assisted  by  a  long  rope  and 
ample  personal  courage.  No  other  improve- 
ments were  made,  and  only  a  short  distance 
was  explored,  until  Mr.  J.  D.  McDonald  settled 
on  the  property  in  1890 ;  since  which  time  he 
and  his  sons  have  explored  ninety-seven  miles  of 
passage  and  done  such  extensive  work  in  open- 
ing up  small  passages  and  placing  ladders,  that 
it  is  now  possible  for  visitors  to  travel  long  dis- 
tances with  surprising  ease  and  comfort.  The 
measure  of  distances  in  the  cave  is  not  by  the 
usual  guess-work  method  which  has  established 
the  short-measure  reputation  for  cave  miles,  but 
is  done  with  a  fair  degree  of  accuracy  by  means 
of  the  twine  used  to  mark  the  trail  in  exploring 
new  passages.  A  careful  measurement  of  the 
twine  has  shown  it  to  run  nine  balls  to  the 
mile  with  a  close  average  of  regularity,  so  it  is  the 
custom  to  add  another  mile  to  the  cave  record  as 
often  as  a  ninth  ball  becomes  exhausted. 


Ozarks  and  Black  Hills.  113 

Wind  Cave  is  twelve  miles  north  of  Hot 
Springs  by  a  good  road  which  offers  somewhat 
meager  attractions  to  the  artist,  but  is  more 
liberal  towards  the  geologist,  and  especially  so 
in  fine  exposures  of  the  gypsum  bearing  Red 
Beds  of  the  Triassic.  Limited  patches  of  it  are 
also  exposed  in  each  of  the  caves,  generally  car- 
rying small  quantities  of  selenite,  which  is 
crystallized  gypsum,  or  in  other  words,  crystal- 
lized sulphate  of  lime.  This  brilliant  red  color 
is  so  prominent  in  portions  of  the  Hills,  and 
attracts  so  much  wondering  attention  in  other 
well  known  regions  of  the  West,  that  it  would 
seem  an  unpardonable  neglect  of  opportunity 
should  we  fail  to  again  quote  Prof.  Todd  for  an 
explanation  of  the  cause  of  the  vivid  coloring. 
Commencing  he  says:  "Newton  remarks  con- 
cerning this:  *  'A  large  percentage  of  peroxide 
of  iron  in  the  red  beds,  to  which  they  owe  their 
bright  red  color,  bears  an  interesting  relation  to 
the  absence  of  fossils.  The  material  of  which 
sediments  are  formed  is  derived,  by  the  various 
processes  of  denudation,  from  the  rocks  of 
older  land  surfaces.  Whatever  iron  they  con- 
tain is  dissolved  from  the  land  and  transported 
in  a  condition  of  protoxide  and  some  proto 
salt,  such  as  the  carbonate,  and  the  process 
is   facilitated  by  the    presence    of    carbonic  acid 

*  U.  S.  Geological  Survey.  Geology  of  the  Black  Hills.  Henry 
Newton,  p.  138. 


116  Cave  Beg  ions  of  the 

in  the  water.  Now  iron  occurs  in  these 
older  rocks  as  protoxide  and  peroxide,  the 
former  of  which  is  soluble  and  the  latter 
insoluble  in  water.  The  peroxide,  how- 
ever, by  the  action  of  organic  matter,  such  as 
is  held  in  solution  in  boggy  waters,  may  be 
deprived  of  a  portion  of  its  oxygen  and  conver- 
ted into  protoxide  and  thus  be  rendered  solu- 
ble. If  the  iron-bearing  water  is  confined  first 
in  a  shallow  basin  and  exposed  long  to  the  ac- 
tion of  the  atmosphere  the  protoxide  of  iron 
absorbs  the  oxygen  and  is  precipitated  as 
an  insoluble  red  peroxide  of  iron.  If, 
however,  plant  or  animal  life  be  present  in 
sufficient  quantities,  this  oxidation  is  prevented. 
In  case  but  little  foreign  material,  clay  or  sand, 
has  been  brought  by  the  waters,  the  deposit 
will  be  an  iron  ore.  In  case  large  quantities  of 
foreign  material  are  deposited  from  the  waters 
at  the  same  time,  there  will  be  produced,  in  the 
absence  of  life,  a  brown  or  red  clay  or  sandstone, 
and  in  its  presence  a  white  or  light  colored  for- 
mation containing  the  iron  as  a  carbonate.  We 
reason  therefore  from  the  condition  in  which 
the  iron  is  found  in  the  red  beds,  that  there 
could  have  been  little  or  no  life,  animal  or  veg- 
etable, in  the  water  from  which  it  was  deposi- 
ted. The  conclusion  is  strengthened  by  the 
fact  of  the  large  quantities  of  gypsum  which 
areusually  derived  from  the  evaporation  of  saline 


Ozarks  and  Black  Hills.  117 

waters.  The  degree  of  saline  concentration  which 
the  precipitation  of  gypsnra  indicates,  would 
be  highly  inimical  to  life.  The  presence  of 
gypsum  helps  to  account  for  the  absence  of  life, 
and  the  absence  of  life  accounts  for  the  brilliant 
color.  The  three  prominent  characteristics  of 
the  formation  (that  is  the  red  beds)  are  there- 
fore quite  in  harmony  with  each  other.'  "  (Geol. 
Blk.  Hills,  p.  138.) 

Continuing  the  subject,  Professor  Todd  says: 
11  Accepting  this  explanation  of  the  striking 
red  color,  the  question  remains  as  to  how  these 
circumstances,  favorable  for  its  formation, 
were  produced. 

11  This  red  color  is  quite  common  in  the 
whole  Rocky  Mountain  region,  not  only  on  the 
eastern  slope  of  the  mountains,  but  to  the  vari- 
ous detached  members  of  the  system.  We  must, 
therefore,  look  for  some  extensive  condition. 
If  we  seek  some  case  in  the  present,  parallel  to 
the  one  already  indicated,  we  perhaps  can  find 
none  better  than  one  on  the  eastern  shore  of  the 
Caspian  Sea,  where,  because  of  dry  climate  and 
the  shallow  waters,  the  deposition  of  gypsum 
and  salt  is  now  going  on.  In  the  gulf  known 
as  the  Kara  Boghaz,  which  is  separated  from  the 
Caspian  by  a  narrow  strait,  the  evaporation  is 
so  rapid  as  to  produce  an  almost  constant 
How  from  the  sea  into  it.  This  strait  and  this 
gulf  give    the  impression    to    an    unlearned    ob- 


118  Cave  Regions  of  the 

server  that  there  must  be  a  mysterious  subter- 
ranean outlet.  The  water  flows  in,  carrying 
with  it  the  salt  and  other  soluble  minerals. 
It  then  evaporates,  leaving  the  salt  and  minerals 
behind." 

This  explanation  is  calculated  to  afford  par- 
ticular pleasure  to  the  many  visitors  to  the 
Garden  of  the  Gods,  in  Colorado,  who  seldom 
receive  satisfactory  answers  to  their  questions 
as  to  the  reasons  "  why."  In  that  much  visi- 
ted spot,  however,  the  great  mass  of  the  deposit 
has  been  removed  by  erosion  and  the  curiously 
shaped  remnants  are  only  such  portions  as  were 
exceptionally  hard  and  consequently  withstood 
the  action    of  the  submerging   waters. 

Having  made  a  considerable  stop  on  the  way  to 
Wind  Cave,  we  will  now  hurry  on,  but  with  good 
horses  and  a  fine  day  the  drive  is  one  of  great 
pleasure.  The  road  gradually  rises  to  higher 
ground  and  soon  reaches  a  point  six  hun- 
dred feet  more  elevated  than  Hot  Springs,  with  a 
charming  view  of  hill  and  valley  distances,  and 
the  way  then  continues  over  the  hill-tops.  At  one 
point  by  the  roadside  a  circle  of  tent-stones  still 
marks  the  spot  occupied  by  Sitting  Bull  for  a 
week  or  more  after  the  Custer  massacre,  while 
he  camped  here  and  in  the  security  of  his 
commanding  position  watched  the  movements 
of  the  government  troops  who  were  in  search 
of  him. 


Ozarks  and  Black  Hills.  119 

Hot  Springs  and  Buffalo  Gap  are  both  included 
in  the  wide-spread  view.  Beside  the  road  and 
scattered  about  in  all  directions  are  fine  speci 
mens  of  agates  and  quartz  crystal  which  seem 
most  beautiful  and  most  abundant  on  the  hills 
in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  the  cave,  the  crys- 
tals being  either  rose  pink,  pale  green,  yellow, 
white  or  colorless. 

Arriving  at  the  cave,  the  entrance  is  not  vis- 
ible, but  between  the  ravine  in  which  it  is 
located  and  the  road,  there  is  the  cave  office 
and  small  hotel,  on  the  ravine  side  of  which  an 
outer  stairway  leads  down  to  the  cave  entrance, 
over  which  has  been  built  a  log  cabin. 

On  account  of  the  precautions  taken  for  the 
protection  of  visitors,  accidents  are  so  rare  that 
it  might  almost  be  said  that  none  occur.  Every 
person  is  required  to  register  before  entering 
the  cave  and  all  returning  parties  are  carefully 
counted,  although  they  are  usually  unaware  of 
the  fact.  They  are  always  accompanied  by  two 
guides  and  others  are  added  if  the  party  is 
large.  No  one  is,  on  any  account,  permitted  to 
wander  in  advance  of  the  head  guide  or  linger 
behind  the  one  in  the  rear. 

Within  the  cabin  the  immediate  entrance  to 
the  cave  is  securely  closed,  and  in  order  that 
the  door  may  not  be  forced  from  its  fastenings 
by  the  roaring  wind  which  shakes  it  threaten- 
ingly, it  opens   in,  instead   of  out.     This   wind 


120  Cave  Regions  of  the 

suggested  the  name  Wind  Cave,  and  will  proba- 
bly be  utilized,  at  no  very  distant  time,  to  gen- 
erate electricity  for  lighting  the  cavern. 

The  wind  is  strongest  at  the  surface,  and  a 
guide  goes  down  first  to  place  lights  in 
sheltered  nooks  where  the  force  has  begun  to 
diminish,  about  fifty  feet  below  the  entrance ; 
and  here  we  light  our  candles  which,  if  guarded 
somewhat,  are  not  extinguished  unless  the  cur- 
rent is  unusually  severe.  The  balance  of  the 
descent  of  one  hundred  and  fifty-five  feet  from 
the  surface  to  the  first  chamber  is  easily  accom- 
plished. 

This  would  be  the  least  interesting  room  in 
the  cave  if  it  were  not  the  Bride's  Chamber,  on 
account  of  having  once  been  the  scene  of  a  mar- 
riage ceremony.  But  no  others  are  in  need  of 
assistance  of  such  romantic  nature,  as  all  are 
curiously  and  handsomely  decorated,  with  such 
a  charming  variety  of  deposits,  artistically 
massed,  combined  or  contrasted,  that  every  step 
brings  fresh  pleasure,  and  monotony  is  nowhere. 

Passing  from  this  room  by  a  long,  narrow 
passage,  in  the  walls  of  which  are  observed 
many  beautiful  little  pockets  of  crystals, 
attention  is  presently  called  to  Lincoln's  Fire- 
place, a  perfectly  natural  specimen  of  the  old- 
fashioned  design  broadly  open  in  the  chimney  ; 
doubtless  just  such  an  one  as  Mr.  Lincoln's  good 
mother  hung  the  crane  in  and  set  the  Dutch  oven 


Ozarks  and  Black  Hills.  121 

before.  A  little  beyond  and  on  the  opposite 
side  of  the  crevice  is  Prairie-dog  town,  not  a 
very  extensive  town,  to  be  sure,  but  so  true  a 
copy  that  one  unfamiliar  with  the  small  animal 
and  his  style  of  architecture  would  afterwards 
easily  recognize  both.  At  one  time  his  dogship 
was  carried  away  by  a  too  eager  collector,  but  a 
letter  to  the  suspected  visitor  brought  him  home 
by  the  next  freight. 

The  Dutch  Clock  occupies  a  position  on  a 
shelf  nearby,  and  all  southern  visitors  greet  the 
Alligator  as  a  familiar  friend,  as  all  of  us  joy- 
fully meet  any  acquaintance  from  home. 

A  long  narrow  passage,  formerly  a  "tight 
crawl,"  but  later  opened  up  by  heavy  blasting, 
must  be  traversed  before  we  come  to  the  Snow 
Ball  Room,  beautiful  with  round  spots  of 
untinted  carbonate  of  lime,  as  if  fresh  soft  snow 
had  been  thrown  by  the  handful  over  walls  and 
ceilings,  with  the  additional  ornamentation  of 
calcite  crystals.  In  the  crevice  beyond  rises  the 
Church  Steeple,  diminishing  regularly,  though 
roughly,  in  size,  to  a  height  of  sixty  feet,  but 
not  degraded  with  the  little  squirming  stairway 
usually  seen  in  Church  spires. 

The  next  room  is  the  Post  Office,  in  which  we 
are  for  the  first  time  introduced  to  the  greatest 
peculiarity  and  most  abundant  formation  known 
to  the  cave.  Being  a  newty  discovered  addition 
to  geology  it  has  no  scientific    name   and   there- 


122  Cave  Regions  of  the 

fore  is  simply  called  box  work,  because  it 
resembles  boxes  of  many  shapes  and  sizes.  The 
formation  of  the  box  work  is  generally  regarded 
as  an  unexplained  and  unexplainable  mystery, 
but  a  careful  stud}''  of  various  portions  of  the 
cave  shows  it  in  all  stages  of  development  and 
suggests  a  reasonable  theoiw  as  to  the  cause  of 
its  origin  and  variety  of  development.  The 
volcanic  disturbances  which  have  already  been 
discussed  as  having  been  responsible  for  the 
various  uplifts  and  depressions  of  the  Black 
Hills  region,  and  also  for  opening  the  fissures 
which  gave  the  cave  a  beginning,  must  have 
supplied  the  conditions  that  were  necessary  to 
the  formation  of  box  work.  And  these  prelimi- 
nary conditions  were  merely  cracks  in  the  rock. 
By  the  violence  of  earth  movement  the  limestone 
has  been  crushed,  probably  when  the  land  was 
undergoing  depression,  prior  to  the  upheaval 
which  opened  the  great  parallel  fissures.  The 
varying  hardness  of  the  rock,  as  well  as  proxi- 
mity to  the  surface,  would  readily  account  for 
the  difference  in  size  of  the  fractures,  which  is 
from  one-half  inch  to  twelve  inches ;  the  largest 
being  the  most  distant  from  the  surface.  That 
this  crushing  was  done  before  the  salt  waters 
retired  from  the  region,  which  was  towards  the 
close  of  the  Cretaceous  Age,  is  sufficiently  evident 
in  the  fact  that  portions  of  the  Red  Beds  show 
similar    fractures    with    the   cracks    filled    with 


Ozarks  and   Black  Hills.  123 

gypsum,  and  gypsum,  as  we  have  already  seen, 
is  a  salt  water  deposit. 

After  the  crushing  was  done  the  cracks  in  the 
Carboniferous  Limestone  were  filled  with  water 
heavily  charged  with  calcium  carbonate,  taken 
in  solution  from  the  rock,  first  from  pulverized 
particles,  and  afterwards  by  percolation  and 
contact  with  exposed  surfaces.  This  calcium 
carbonate  was  slowly  deposited  in  crystalline 
form,  so  that  in  time  the  cracks  were  filled  and 
the  crushed  rock  firmly  cemented  with  calcite 
seams.  But  in  the  meantime  the  removal  of 
the  calcium  carbonate  had  started  disintegration 
of  the  more  exposed  portions  of  the  rock,  which 
steadily  continuing,  finally  reduced  the  porous 
body  between  the  crystal  seams  to  a  soft  clay 
which  was  gradually  dissolved  and  carried  out 
through  small  imperfections  in  the  thin  crystal 
sheets,  leaving  the  empty  box  work  as  we  find 
it.  But  where  blasting  has  exposed  fresh  sur- 
faces, much  of  the  solid  limestone  carries  the 
box-like  sheets  of  crystal. 

The  thinnest  box  work  is  seen  in  the  upper 
levels,  from  which  the  waters  retired  soonest, 
and  the  heaviest  and  most  beautiful  is  in  the 
Blue  Grotto,  on  the  eighth  level  where  the  water 
remained  longest  and  its  diminished  volume 
became  most  heavily  charged.  In  many  places, 
however,  there  is  another  heavy  variety  known 
as    pop-corn  box  work,    which  seems  to   be  an 


124  Cave  Regions  of  the 

impure  linie  carbonate  not  so  finely  crystallized 
as  the  other,  but  at  the  time  of  ray  visit  no 
explanation  had  been  given  of  the  manner  of  its 
deposit ;  and  my  own  theory  that  it  was  not 
formed  under  water  had  nothing  to  sustain  it 
until,  a  few  weeks  later,  while  visiting  Crystal 
Cave,  the  work  was  found  in  active  progress  on 
surfaces  occupying  every  position,  and  the  agent 
was  dripping  water.  In  all  cases  the  original 
box  work  has  been  in  thin  sheets  of  calcite,  and 
the  heavy  varieties  are  due  to  later  deposits 
of  calcite  and  aragonite  crystals  or,  pop  corn. 
The  colors  are  white,  yellow,  blue  and  choco- 
late brown ;  the  last  named  predominating  to  a 
great  extent  in  that  portion  of  the  cave  most  eas- 
ily traveled  by  visitors,  and  forming  the  ceiling 
and  a  part  of  one  wall  in  the  Post  Office,  where, 
as  has  been  said  before,  it  first  appears.  The 
effect  is  not  dreary  as  might  be  imagined,  and 
parties  are  generally  photographed  here  because 
one  side  of  the  room  is  white  and  greatly  assists 
the  flash.  This  is  a  smooth,  perpendicular  wall 
marking  the  line  of  the  fissure  and  showing  the 
strata  of  the  rock  in  horizontal  position  whit- 
ened with  a  thin  coating  of  carbonate  of  lime. 
All  visitors  are  cordially  invited  to  please  them- 
selves in  leaving  cards,  letters  or  papers  in  this 
chamber,  which  is  reserved  for  that  purpose, 
and  to  refrain  from  leaving  them  in   other   por- 


Ozarks  and  Black  Hills.  125 

tions  of  the  cave  or  defacing  the  walls  with 
names. 

Roe's  Misery  is  a  long,  narrow  passage  into 
which,  during  the  early  times  before  its  size  had 
been  increased  by  blasting,  a  large  man  named 
Roe  crawled  to  his  sorrow.  Being  larger  than 
the  hole  he  stuck  fast,  and  neither  his  own  efforts 
nor  those  of  the  guides  could  relieve  the  situation 
until  a  rope  was  sent  for,  and  having  been 
brought,  was  securely  fastened  to  his  feet,  when 
a  long  pull  and  a  strong  one  finally  opened  the 
passage.  It  is  told  that  he  claimed  to  have 
reviewed  all  the  objectionable  acts  of  his  life, 
by  which  his  friends  understood  that  he  occu- 
pied the  motionless  position  not  less  than  three 
weeks. 

Red  Hall  is  very  nearly  described  by  its  name 
and  is  quite  a  showy  room,  with  the  bright  red 
walls  contrasting  sharply  with  their  limited 
ornamentation  of  pure  white  carbonate  of  lime 
and  pearly  crystals  of  calcite. 

Off  to  one  side  of  Red  Hall  is  a  beautiful  little 
chamber  called  Old  Maids'  Grotto,  probably  on 
account  of  its  trim  appearance  and  ideal  loca- 
tion. It  is  so  entirely  concealed  from  the  view 
of  those  passing  on  the  public  highway,  that  its 
existence  is  not  even  suspected,  until  special 
attention  is  called  to  its  cosiness,  and  then  it  is 
necessary  to  mount  an  accumulation  of  great 
water-rounded    rocks    in  order    to    obtain   con- 


126  Cave  Regions. 

vincing  evidence  of  its  actual  reality.  It  is  a 
long,  narrow  room,  shut  in  by  a  straight  wall 
sufficiently  high  for  rigid  seclusion,  or  protec- 
tion, without  preventing  a  glimpse  of  passing 
events. 

A  break  in  the  description  is  made  here  for 
the  purpose  of  inserting  a  description,  written 
at  the  author's  request,  by  Mr.  E.  L.  McDonald. 
He  was  generally  our  special  guide.  He  has 
chosen  to  describe  the  route  taken  by  the 
majority  of  visitors  and  therefore  the  balance 
of  my  observations  within  those  limits  are 
omitted. 

All  who  are  familiar  with  those  passages  and 
chambers  will  observe  while  reading  the  next 
chapter  that  no  imaginary  attractions  are  added 
to  the  existing  facts,  but  many  interesting  minor 
points  are  missing. 

Only  such  changes  are  made  as  were  agreed  to 
as  the  condition  on  which  lie  would  attempt  a 
piece  of  work  so  at  variance  with  his  usual  occu- 
pations. 


CHAPTER  X. 

WIND    CAVE    CONTINUED. 
THE    FAIR    GROUNDS    ROUTE. 

4<  At  9:30  in  the  morning  the  train  bringing 
health-seekers  and  tourists  arrives  at  Hot 
Springs,  a  beautiful  little  city  nestled  in  the 
southernmost  foot-hills  of  the  world-reputed 
Black  Hills  of  South  Dakota.  The  choice  of  a 
hotel  is  soon  made,  and  when  located,  the  new- 
comers observe  the  other  guests  and  acquaint 
themselves  with  the  attractions  of  the  resort. 
Probably  during  the  day  they  are  approached  by 
the  solicitor  of  the  wonderful  Wind  Cave,  who 
explains  that  the  best  way  to  reach  the  cave  is 
by  means  of  the  coach  and  four  seen  at  the  hotel 
in  the  moruing,  and  arrangements  are  made  for 
the  following  day.  The  next  morning,  seated 
in  the  tally-ho  coach  with  strangers  who  are 
soon  acquaintances,  you  start  on  a  beautiful 
twelve-mile  drive  to  one  of  nature's  most  inter- 
esting sights. 

"Immediately  after  leaving  town  you  begin  to 
admire  the  scenery  and  enjoy  the  cool,  refresh- 
ing breezes,  wafted  from  the  mountains  to  the 
north,  down  the  slopes  to  the  arid  plains. 

127 


128  Cave  Regions  of  the 

"  After  climbing  a  gently  sloping  'hog-back' 
for  about  eight  miles,  you  are  at  the  top  of  the 
divide  and  one  thousand  feet  higher  than  Hot 
Springs,  which  may  be  seen  on  the  left.  Look- 
ing ahead  you  can  see  Harney  Peak,  the  highest 
mountain  in  the  Black  Hills  district;  and  on  the 
right  you  see  Buffalo  Gap,  through  which  the 
creek  runs  that  heads  at  Min-ne-pa-juta  Springs. 
The  Indians  used  to  drive  buffalo  through  this 
gap,  hence  its  name.  A  small  but  thriving  little 
town  to  the  eastward  takes  its  name  from  this 
Buffalo  Gap.  From  here  you  begin  to  go  down 
a  gentle  and  winding  incline  to  the  cave,  which 
is  reached  all  too  soon. 

"At  the  office  you  register  and  procure  tickets, 
and  then  have  from  one-half  to  three-quarters  of 
an  hour  in  which  to  eat  lunch  or  dine  at  the 
hotel.  Then  all  congregate  in  the  office,  from 
whence  the  start  is  made,  after  every  one  has 
put  on  a  cave  cap,  not  a  suit,  as  such  is  entirely 
unnecessary .  The  guide  leads  the  way  to  the 
entrance  of  the  cave  which  is  separated  from  the 
office  by  some  little  distance,  and  is  located  in 
the  bed  of  a  long  since  dry  run,  which  in  former 
times  has  bared  the  carboniferous  strata,  and 
within  this  kind  of  rock  the  cave  is  found. 

"As  the  author  has  asked  me  for  an  article  de- 
scriptive of  the  cave,  I  will  only  attempt  to  say 
something  of  our  medium  length  route  to 
the  Fair  Grounds,  or  in  other   words,    the  Fair 


Ozarks  and  Black   Hills.  129 

Grounds'  Route.  A  collective  description  of  the 
whole  cave  would  take  months — even  years — to 
complete.  Besides,  the  above  route  is  the  one 
most  used  by  visitors  at  the  present  time. 

"On  entering  the  Cave  House  (a  log  structure) 
you  will  in  all  probability  ask  from  whence 
comes  the  murmur  of  a  waterfall.  The  guide 
answers  that  it  is  the  rushing  current  of  air  at 
the  mouth  of  the  cave,  sometimes  in  and  some- 
times out.  Prof.  J.  E.  Todd,  in  bulletin  No.  1, 
S.  Dakota  Geological  Survey,  p.  48,  says: 
'  This  phenomenon  is  found  to  correspond  with 
the  varying  pressure  of  the  barometer,  and  with  its 
single  opening  and  capacious  chambers  is  easily 
accounted  for.' 

'  'The  rushing  air  is  sometimes  strong  enough  to 
require  a  man's  weight  to  open  the  entrance 
door.  Five  days  and  nights  is  the  longest  time 
the  wind  has  been  known  to  move  in  one  direc- 
tion without  ceasing.  This  is  one  of  nature's 
greatest  atmospherical  phenomena. 

"Some  one  says,  'Tickets,  please!'  and  into 
the  hole  we  go,  single  file  down  a  lighted  passage- 
way to  where  we  can  light  our  candles.  After 
descending  about  one  hundred  and  fifty-five  feet 
we  come  into  the  Bridal  Chamber  (named  by 
some  of  the  earlier  explorers  before  the  present 
management  took  hold  of  the  property),  which 
is  eight  or  ten  feet  in  length  by  twenty  feet  in 
breadth.       Passing    along    some    distance,   the 


130  Cave  Begions  of  the 

Snow-ball  Room  is  entered.  It  carries  this  name 
on  account  of  little  rosettes  of  carbonate  of  lime 
sticking  to  the  irregular  ceiling.  This  room  is 
pretty  narrow  and  some  fifty  feet  in  length. 

'  'The  Post  Office  is  next  and  soon  reached.  The 
ceiling  is  covered  with  the  box  work  formation 
somewhat  resembling  Post  Office  boxes.  You 
will  no  doubt  wonder  why  it  carries  such  a 
common  name. 

1  'Just  because  after  searching  in  what  books  on 
geology  and  other  sciences  we  could  get, 
we  could  not  find  it  described  nor  any  formation 
resembling  it;  hence  its  common  name,  as  we 
have  named  the  pop-corn  work,  frost  work  etc., 
from  their  appearance. 

"The  dimensions  of  the  Post  Office  are  some 
eighty  feet  in  length  by  twenty  feet  in  width, with 
an  average  ceiling  height  of  probably  twelve 
feet.  Red  Hall  is  the  room  next  in  order,  and 
has  on  either  side  a  red  bank  of  sandy,  micaceous 
clay. 

"Just  to  the  left  is  a  very  pretty  little  grotto  of 
box  work.  This  room  is  very  odd  in  make-up. 
The  floor  is  very  rough  and  dips  about  fifteen 
feet  in  its  length  of  sixty  feet,  and  includes  a 
short  flight  of  stairs.  The  lowest  end  of  the 
room  is  prettily  decorated,  and  some  pleasing- 
blends  of  color  attract  the  eye.  To  the  left  is 
the  Old  Maids'  Grotto,  a  pretty  little  nook  that 
would  please  any  maid  old  or  young. 


Ozarks  and  Black   Hills.  131 

"After  passing  through  the  White  Room  we 
turn  to  the  left  along  the  crevice,  and  after 
traveling  some  little  distance  reach  The  Grand 
Opera,  a  very  narrow  room  but  some  forty  feet 
in  length.  Chopin's  Nocturne  is  a  small  grotto 
in  the  right  hand  wall  named  by  the  famous 
violinist,  Edouard  Kemenji. 

"The  Devil's  Lookout  is  reached  by  a  few  steps. 
It  is  a  crevice  about  ten  feet  wide  at  the  base 
and  sixty-five  feet  in  height.  This  place  is 
remarkable  for  its  columns  of  rock  just  over  head. 
The  pathway  leads  to  Milton's  Study,  some 
fifty  feet  distant.  Turning  into  the  crevice 
again,  some  twenty  feet  are  traveled  when  at- 
tention is  called  to  Seal  Rocks.  Sampson's  Palace 
is  the  next  room  in  order  :  here  we  see  some 
stalagmitic  water  formation  on  the  left  wall  and 
the  ceiling  is  one  of  the  most  beautiful  yet  seen 
on  the  trip. 

"We  pass  along  to  Swiss  Scenery,avery  prettil}" 
decorated  room  fifty  feet  in  length  by  fifteen  in 
height.  The  box  work  is  very  pretty,  shading 
from  yellow  to  dark  brown.  The  general  appear- 
ance of  the  room  would  suggest  its  name,  it 
being  rougher  than  any  other  in  the  immediate 
vicinity.  Passing  under  an  arch  we  enter  the 
Queen's  Drawing-room.  Here  the  box  work  has 
been  developed  be}'ond  any  on  our  pathway  thus 
far.  From  the  ceiling  it  hangs  like  draperies 
and  on  the  left  wall  is  about  twenty-four  inches 


182  Cave  Region*  of  the 

in  depth.  On  the  whole  this  room  is  elegant 
enough  for  the  most  exacting  queen.  We  step 
from  this  room  into  the  M.  E.  Church.  Rev. 
Mr.  Hancher,  President  of  the  Black  Hills 
Methodist  College,  was  I  believe  the  first  to 
hold  song  and  prayer  service  in  this  room ;  the 
pulpit  is  on  the  left  as  you  pass  through.  The 
guides  always  ask  if  any  wish  to  sing  or  worship, 
as  any  one  has  a  perfect  right  in  a  dedicated 
Chapel. 

"The  Giant's  Causeway  is  only  a  few  steps 
beyond.  This  bit  of  scenery  has  some  resem- 
blance to  the  famed  basalt  attraction  on  the  coast 
of  Ireland.  We  'duck1  our  heads  under  the 
Arch  of  Politeness  and  rise  to  a  standing  position 
in  Lena's  Arbor,  a  very  irregular  shaped  room 
admired  by  a  great  many  of  our  visitors. 

"We  enter  Capitol  Hall  at  the  side,  about 
midway  between  the  ends.  It  is  the  largest 
room  yet  visited,  being  some  two  hundred  feet 
from  end  to  end,  with  a  very  high  ceiling.  Here 
we  notice  the  walls  and  ceiling  are  bare  of  box 
work  and  other  formation,  and  are  clean  and 
white.  The  decorative  appearance  exceeds  any 
room  yet  visited.  After  getting  into  line  again 
we  go  down  a  flight  of  stairs  to  Odd  Fellows' 
Hall,  a  chamber  that  on  examination  suggests  its 
name.  In  the  ceiling  is  situated  the  'All  seeing 
eye,'  one  of  the  emblems  of  that  august  body, 
and  at  a   little  distance  the   'Three  links;'   also 


Ozarks  and  Black  Hills.  188 

in  the  ceiling,  and  just  under  the  latter  is  sit- 
uated a  rock  very  much  resembling  a  goat. 
Attention  is  called  to  the  first  appearance  of 
pop-corn  work,  a  very  peculiar  formation  resem- 
bling pop-corn  after  it  has  broken  open,  and  in 
this  part  of  the  cave  it  is  quite  plentiful. 

"We  now  descend  another  flight  of  stairs  into 
Turtle  Pass,  where  a  large  turtle  rests  beside 
the  path,  and  just  beyond  is  the  Confederate 
Cross-roads,  where  the  fissure  is  crossed  by 
another  forming  a  cross  with  perfect  right  angles. 
The  right  hand  passage  is  used  for  specimens 
only;  straight  ahead  leads  to  the  Garden  of  Eden, 
the  end  of  our  shortest  route;  we  take  the  left 
hand  path  and  journey  through  Summer  Avenue, 
some  seventy  feet  in  length,  and  reach  the  Scenes 
of  Widow,  a  large  and  high  room,  beautifully 
decorated  with  box  work  and  pop-corn.  The 
ceiling  and  the  left  wall  from  floor  to  ceiling  are 
fine  box  work.  On  the  right  you  see  dark  space, 
as  a  very  large  portion  of  this  room  is  unused, 
but  we  pass  the  Piper's  Pig.  List!  The  guide 
is  pounding  on  the  Salvation  Army  Drum,  a 
large  projecting  rock  that  on  being  struck  with 
the  closed  hand  gives  a  sound  very  much  like  a 
bass  drum. 

"'After  walking  across  a  short  plank  we  enter 
Kimball's  Music  Hall,  a  very  beautiful  room 
settled  between  two  crevices  and  lined  with  box 
work.     Viewing  the  ceiling  from  the   fissure  on 


134  Cave  Regions  of  the 

the  right  it  is  seen  to  be  smooth  and  fringed 
with  pop-corn.  In  some  places  the  boxes  are 
closed,  resembling  finished  honey-comb.  Over 
head  box  work  can  be  seen  as  high  as  the  light 
penetrates.  On  the  whole,  I  think  this  is  the 
finest  crevice  in  the  explored  cave. 

"Looking  straight  ahead  you  wonder  how  the 
party  can  travel  over  such  a  road  as  presents 
itself  to  view,  but  the  guide  turns  into  an  arch  in 
the  right  hand  wall  and  enters  Whitney  Avenue. 
After  walking  across  the  bridge  over  shadowy 
depths,  our  pathway  lies  for  some  fifty  feet  in 
one  of  the  most  interesting  ovens  in  the  cave, 
at  the  end  of  which  we  enter  Monte  Cristo's 
Palace  by  going  down  a  flight  of  stairs.  This 
room  has  the  greatest  depth  beneath  the  surface 
of  any  of  the  Fair  Grounds'  Koute,  which  is  four 
hundred  and  fifty  feet.  In  this  room  is  noticed 
a  decided  change  in  the  box  work,  which  is 
much  heavier  than  any  seen,  or  that  will  be 
scene  on  this  route,  and  the  color   is   light  blue. 

"I  guess  I  will  give  the  party  a  talk  while  we 
rest  under  Monte  Cristo's  Diamonds,  a  very 
sparkling  cluster,  about  six  inches  in  diameter, 
of  silica  crystals. 

"After  studying  the  cave,  it  appears  that  it 
did  not  form  in  the  same  manner  as  most  others; 
on  account  of  the  absence  of  sink  holes,  the 
regular  arrangement  of  the  chambers,  the  regu- 
lar dip  of  the  rock  to  the  south-east  from  five  to 


Ozarks  and   Black   'Bills,  135 

ten  degrees,  and  the  regularity  of  the  long  ver- 
tical fissures  running  north-west  south-east.  In 
fact,  the  whole  cave  is  made  up  of  these  fissures 
and  it  seems  that  the  water  has  entered  narrow 
crevices  opened  by  some  eruptive  force. 

"You  see  small  holes  eaten  in  the  ceilings  and 
walls  in  every  direction,  which  indicates  that  the 
water  came  from  a  higher  level,  and  being  under 
great  pressure,  wanted  passage  out.  It  seems  the 
cave  was  a  reservoir  for  a  long  time,  then  after  the 
water  stopped  flowing  in  it  slowly  receded,  and 
in  settling  the  overcharged  waters  covered  the 
rocks  and  specimens  with  a  calcareous  coating, 
very  thin  in  the  upper  portions  of  the  cave  and 
getting  thicker  the  deeper  you  go,  giving  evi- 
dence as  you  see,  of  slowly  settling.  Had  the 
waters  rushed  out  they  would  in  all  probability 
have  left  the  rocks  un coated  as  in  all  other 
caves,  with  one  exception,  the  Crystal  Cave, 
some  seventy-five  miles  to  the  north  of  Wind 
Cave. 

"As  we  have  some  more  caves  to  see  we  must 
journey  on. 

"Taking  one  last  look  at  Monte  Cristo's  Dia- 
monds we  pass  into  Milliner's  Avenue,  a  very 
pretty  avenue  indeed  with  nearly  as  many  colors 
as  a  milliner's  show-window  would  present. 
About  mid- way  of  this  avenue  we  cross  the 
bridge  over  Castle  Garden,  a  room  in  the  eighth 
tier  beneath  the  surface.      From  this  avenue   we 


186  Cave  Regions  of  the 

step  into  the  Assembly  Room.  Here  the 
formations  are  covered  with  a  gypsum  ciys- 
tal  that  sparkles  with  wonderful  brilliancy . 
On  the  right  is  a  passage  leading  to  the  Masonic 
Temple,  a  room  that  any  body  of  Masons  would 
be  proud  of  could  they  hold  lodge  meetings  in  it. 
The  passage  on  the  left  is  the  terminus  of  the 
Pearly  Gates'  Route,  the  longest  developed  route 
in  the  cave.  After  moving  along  some  distance 
we  see  the  Bad  Lands,  and  then  come  into  the 
Tennis  Court.  This  room  has  the  net  in  the 
ceiling  and  I  suppose  the  party  can  furnish  the 
raquet  (racket).  On  the  right  hand  side  of  this 
room  there  is  tier  upon  tier  of  box  work  ;  looking 
to  the  left,  you  shudder  at  the  almost  bottomless 
pit  just  beside  the  pathway.  Here  we  take  a  rest 
preparatory  to  climbing  up  to  the  Marble  Quarry, 
a  task  of  two  flights  of  stairs.  This  is  a  very 
large  room  and  has  the  most  uneven  floor,  ceiling 
and  walls  of  any  that  our  visitors  see,  and  is 
barren  of  specimens  excepting  in  the  first  part 
over  the  stairs  where  there  is  some  box  work  of 
very  pretty  structure  and  color.  Some  distance 
up  the  path  we  see  on  one  side  the  Ghost  of 
'She,'  and  on  the  other  the  Devil's  Punch 
Bowl,  a  large  rock  with  a  basin-shaped  hole 
about  thirty-six  inches  across  and  sixteen  inches 
deep,  but  lo!  the  bottom  has  been  broken  out : 
which  is  very  appropriate  as  South  Dakota  is  at 
present  a  prohibition  state.     A  winding  path  is 


Ozarks  and  Black   Hills.  137 

followed  until  attention  is  called  to  the  Sheep's 
Head  above  an  arch  over  the  passage,  and  the 
ceiling  here  is  of  flint,  the  lodge  of  which  is 
four  inches  thick. 

"Passing  under  the  arch  we  enter  Johnstone's 
Camp  Ground,  so  named  because  Paul  Alexan- 
der Johnstone  camped  in  this  room  while  accom- 
plishing the  third  of  his  greatest  mind-reading 
feats,  during  which  he  remained  in  the  cave 
seventy- two  hours.  He  was  locked  in  his  room 
at  the  Evans  Hotel  while  a  committee  secreted 
the  head  of  a  gold  pin  in  the  cave.  On  their 
return,  after  being  blindfolded,  he  led  them  to 
the  livery  stable,  and  securing  a  team  drove  to 
the  cave  and  found  the  pin  in  the  Standing 
Rock  Chamber,  beyond  the  Pearly  Gates,  and 
then  drove  back  to  the  city  still  blindfolded. 

"Down  one  short  flight  of  stairs  and  we  are  in 
the  Waiting  Room,  so  called  on  account  of  per- 
sons waiting  here  while  the  rest  of  their  party 
finished  the  trip  by  climbing  up  the  Alpine  Way. 
This  difficult  climb  was  made  until  the  route  was 
developed  via  the  Marble  Quarry.  A  steep 
pathway  and  one  flight  of  stairs  now  bring  us  to 
the  Ticket  Office,  and  another  short  stairway 
leads  into  the  room  above,  which  is  the  Fair 
Grounds.  We  enter  the  right  wing,  which 
measures  two  hundred  and  six  links  in  length 
and  forty-nine  in  width  at  the  narrowest  place. 
We  are  now  in  the  third  level  and  no  box  work 


138  Cave  Regions  of  the 

is  seen,  but  the  ceiling  (tthieh  is  low)  shows 
many  interesting  fossils.  The  central  dome  is 
some  fifty  feet  in  height,  and  passing  to  the 
right  the  guide  seats  the  party  in  such  a  position 
that  the  frost  work  on  the  wall  can  be  seen  to 
advantage.  This  is  the  largest  part  of  the  Fair 
Grounds  and  measures  six  hundred  and  forty- 
five  links  long,  exclusive  of  the  right  wing,  and 
has  a  width  of  fifty-three  links,  which  with 
a  number  of  wings  added,  makes  it  one  of  the 
largest  under-ground  rooms  within  American 
caverns. 

"A  great  many  visitors  look  at  their  cuff-buttons 
when  told  we  have  twenty-five  hundred  rooms 
included  in  ninety-seven  miles  of  passageways. 
Of  course  they  do  not  understand  how  we  get 
the  mileage.  In  going  to  the  Fair  Grounds  we 
travel  about  three  miles.  In  each  fissure  there 
are  eight  levels,  which  makes  twenty-four  miles 
of  cave  from  the  entrance  to   the   Fair  Grounds. 

"Of  the  formations  in  the  cave,  the  differ- 
ent kinds  are  on  different  levels,  the  stal- 
actites and  stalagmites  nearest  the  surface  on 
the  second,  the  frost  work  on  the  third.  This 
formation  is  in  most  instances  as  colorless 
as  snow.  The  mode  of  its  formation  is  not 
thoroughly  understood,  but  is  found  in  such  posi- 
tions as  suggest  its  being  formed  by  vapors 
overcharged  as  spoken  of  about  the  water.  It  is 
almost    always  on  an  over-hanging  rock,  over  or 


Ozarks  and  Black  Hills.  139 

near  some  fissure  leading  to  a  deeper  portion  of 
the  cave.  Box  work  in  this  level  is  scattering 
and  fragile:  in  the  fourth  it  is  the  prevailing 
formation  :  in  the  fifth  it  is  heavier  and  a  little 
darker;  in  the  sixth  it  varies  in  style  and  color, 
and  pop-corn  appears,  a  queer  formation 
resembling  pop-corn  ready  to  eat.  It  is  not  so 
purely  white  here  as  in  the  lower  levels,  seventh 
and  eighth.  In  the  seventh  the  box  work  is 
heavier  than  any  seen  on  the  Fair  Grounds'  Route 
and  the  color  is  nearly  blue,  having  a  faded 
appearance.  In  this  tier  is  also  found  a  good 
deal  of  mineral  wool,  which  must  not  be 
mistaken  for  asbestos.  It  sometimes 
attains  a  length  of  eighteen  inches  and  at 
one  place  where  it  seems  to  come  out  of  a  hole 
two  inches  in  diameter,  and  drops  down  like  a 
grey  beard,  we  have  named  it  Noah's  Beard. 

"In  the  eighth  tier  we  find  very  beautiful  for- 
mations of  carbonate  of  lime,  and  the  box  work 
is  decidedly  blue,  the  boxes  larger,  and  their 
partitions  one  half  inch  thick. 

"We  have  been  deeper  than  the  eighth  tier  but 
in  narrow  crevices  barely  admitting  a  man  of 
average  stature.  In  these  the  calcareous  coating 
is  much  thicker  than  in  any  higher  portions  of 
the  cave,  but  very  little  sign  of  box  work  is 
seen. 

"Sometimes  we  make  a  comparison  betweenthe 
cave  and  a  sponge.     Take  for  instance  a   sponge 


140  Cave  Regions. 

as  large  as  an  apple  barrel  and  there  would  be 
holes  in  it  as  big  as  a  man's  thumb  and  closed 
hand.  Now  take  a  sponge,  four  miles  square 
and  five  hundred  feet  deep  with  holes  in  propor- 
tion to  the  little  sponge,  and  you  have  an  illus- 
tration of  The  Wonderful  Wind  Cave,  of  Custer 
County,  South  Dakota." 


CHAPTER  XI. 

WIND  CAVE  CONTINUED. 
PEARLY  GATES  AND  BLUE  GROTTO  ROUTE. 

A  very  much  longer,  more  beautiful,  and  also 
more  difficult  journey  than  the  one  just  described 
may  be  taken  by  those  in  whom  the  desire  to 
see  is  greater  than  the  fear  of  fatigue,  or  possi- 
bly, some  little  danger.  With  this  object  in 
view  the  Fair  Grounds'  Route  is  followed 
through  Monte  Cristo's  Palace  and  into  Milli- 
ner's Avenue.  Here  we  leave  it  by  dropping  off 
the  bridge  into  a  rough  hole,  which  proves  to  be 
a  passage  descending  into  Castle  Garden  direct- 
ly beneath  the  Avenue,  and  a  room  of  consider- 
able size,  plentifully  supplied  with  bowlders. 
Although  interesting  to  visit,  it  has  no 
points  of  such  special  merit  as  would  seem  to 
require  a  detailed  account,  the  main  importance 
attaching  to  it  being  the  fact  that  it  is  the  first 
portion  of  the  eighth  level  visited.  A  little  be- 
yond, however,  is  something  quite  new.  The 
floor  is  covered  with  a  light  yellow-  crust  of  cal- 
cite  crystal,  sufficiently  strong  to  bear  the 
weight  of  a  limited  number  of  guests  without 
much    fracture.       It    generally    gives    a   hollow 

141 


142  Cave  Beg  ions  of  the 

sound  when  struck,  which  is  easily  accounted 
for  as  there  are  small  holes  noticed  by  which 
steam  evidently  made  its  escape,  and  through 
these  cavities  can  be  seen  but  they  are  shallow. 
One  place  shows  the  crust  broken  up  and  with 
the  edges  of  the  pieces  overlapped,  like  ice  bro- 
ken by  a  sudden  rise  of  back-water,  and  in 
this  position  they  have  been  firmly  cemented. 

This  is  where  the  slowly  receding  waters  of 
the  cave  lingered  in  shallow  pools  above  the 
small  crevices  long  after  the  main  portions  had 
become  dry.  That  the  crust  was  formed  on  top 
of  the  water,  instead  of  beneath  its  surface,  has 
been  proved  by  the  only  body  of  water  now 
standing  in  the  cave.  This  is  called  Silent 
Lake,  and  being  situated  on  another  route  will 
be  described  in  its  proper  place,  but  when  dis- 
covered no  water  was  visible  nor  its  presence 
even  suspected  until  the  crust  gave  way  under 
the  weight  of  an  explorer.  The  thin  sheet  of 
yellow  calcite  crystal  thus  broken  was  the  same 
as  that  seen  in  great  abundance  in  the  now  per- 
fectly dry  eighth  level.  The  gradually  decreas- 
ing volume  of  water  has  left  a  smooth  yellow 
coat  on  portions  of  the  walls  where  irregulari- 
ties or  slopes  were  favorable,  and  at  least  one 
such  place  is  vividly  remembered  if  once  seen. 
A  steep  incline  of  about  fifteen  feet  leads  to  a 
small  oval  hole  through  the  wall;  towards  this 
we   crawled   with   no   great  eass  ;  but  getting  to 


Ozarks  and  Black  Hills.  1  £3 

the   hole   was   far  easier   than  going  through  it 
into  a  tiny  cubby  not  high  enough  to  sit  comfort- 
ably upright  in, and  too  small  to  permit  an  aver- 
age sized  human  being  to  turn  around.    Close  on 
the  left  it  is  shut  in  by  another   wall  pierced  by 
two  holes  similar   to   that   just  passed,  and  each 
revealing    a  miniature    chamber  scared}'  more 
than  three  feet  in  either  direction   and   eighteen 
inches  high.     Being  directed    to    examine     the 
ceiling  of  the  first,  it  was  done   with   some  diffi- 
culty   and    much    satisfaction,  for    there   in   the 
center  was  a  most   exquisite   bit   of  art  work,  a 
circular  disk   of    "  drusy'1   quartz   about  twelve 
inches  in  diameter  and   having   the   appearance 
of  a  flat  rosette  of  fine  black   lace,  in   open   pat- 
tern with  small  diamonds  thickly  strung  on  every 
thread;  a    brilliant,  sparkling    mass    of    gems. 
After  Mr.  McDonald   had   carefully   removed   a 
geode  from     the     Other     little    chamber,  he   --lid 
down  into  a  fourth,  the   last  of  the  diminutive 
suite,  having  sutlici-  nt   height  to  allow  a  sitting 
posture  with  raised    head,  and  opened  the  small 
jewel   case,  while  I  examined    the    place  it  came 
from.      Here    all    was    calcite    crystal     heavily 
massed  in  various  forms,  and  a  harmony  of  blue 
and  brown,  with  half   a  dozen  round,  unbroken, 
perfect    geodes    hanging    from    the  ceiling    like 
oriole     nests.     The      geode      taken     proved     on 
opening  to  be  especially  fine,  being  filled   with 
pearly  white  calcite    crystals    of    both  the  dog- 


144  Cave  Regions  of  the 

tooth  and  nail-head  forms,  and  was  kindly 
presented  to  be  added  to  the  collection  of  cave 
specimens  already  purchased  in  town,  to  which 
were  also  added  handsome  pieces  of  "  drusy" 
quartz,  cave  coral,  and  tufa  and  mineral  wool. 

Following  the  guide  I  now  slipped  down  into 
the  larger  nook  just  vacated,  and  saw  with  con- 
siderable chagrin  that  the  next  step  was  down  a 
perpendicular  wall  more  than  ten  feet  in  height, 
facing  a  high,  narrow  fissure,  the  floor  of  which 
was  merely  two  shelves  sloping  to  an  open  space 
along  the  middle,  almost  two  feet  wide,  with  the 
darkness  of  continuing  crevice  below.  Further 
progress  seemed  absolutely  impossible.  All 
things  are,  however,  possible  to  those  who  will, 
and  it  had  been  willed  to  pay  a  visit  to  the 
grandest  portion  of  Wind  Cave.  In  order  to 
do  so  the  descent  must  be  made  and  was.  Then 
some  little  distance  must  be  traveled  along  the 
crevice,  but  the  angle  of  elevation  taken  by 
both  sides  of  the  bisected  floor  served  as  a  sort 
of  prohibitory  tax  together  with  the  calcite  pav- 
ing, since  to  maintain  an  upright  position  on 
such  a  surface  would  require  long  training  of  a 
certain  professional  character.  That  difficulty, 
too,  was  overcome  by  placing  a  foot  on  either 
side  of  the  open  crevice ;  the  first  consideration, 
of  course,  being  safety  and  not  grace. 

We  now  came  to  the  enjoyment  of  the  reward 
of   merit.     Flooded    with    the    brilliant     white 


OF  THE 


Ozarks  and  Black  Hills.  145 

light  of  magnesium  ribbon,  the  crevice  walls 
could  be  seen  drawing  together  at  a  height  of 
sixty-five  feet,  and  both  composed  entirely  of 
larger  box  work  than  any  seen  before  and  very 
heavily  covered  with  calcite  crystal,  colored  a 
bright  electric  blue  and  glowing  with  a  pearly 
lustre.  This  is  the  Centennial  Gallery,  and 
leaving  it  with  reluctance  we  passed  on  into  the 
Blue  Grotto  to  find  it  finer  still.  It  is  some- 
what wider  and  higher,  while  even  the  ex- 
tremely rough,  uneven  floor  shows  no  spot  bare 
of  heavy  box  work  of  a  yet  deeper  blue. 

The  wonderful  beauty  of  this  Blue  Grotto 
necessarily  stands .  beyond  comparison  because 
in  all  the  known  world  there  is  nothing  like  it. 
The  forms  of  crystal  are  chiefly  aragonite. 

From  here  we  pass  to  the  "  Chamber  de  Nor- 
cutt,"  which  would  be  considered  a  very  hand- 
some room  if  it  had  no  superiors:  and  the  same 
can  be  said  of  Union  College,  in  which,  however, 
is  the  Fan  Rock  to  claim  special  notice ;  an 
immense  piece  of  fallen  box  work  shaped  like  a 
lady's  fan  half  opened. 

An  imposing  vestibule  leads  into  the  extensive 
but  rather  dreary  Catacombs,  from  which  we 
crawled  through  a  little  hole  into  the  M.  W.  A. 
Hall,  emerging  at  the  top  of  a  steep  but  not 
high  slope  covered  with  the  smooth  yellow  crust 
of  calcite  encountered  at  other  places,  and  in 
trying  to  make  a  dexterous  turn  so  as  to  go  down 


146  Cave  Regions  of  the 

feet  first,  the  descent  was  accomplished  with 
uncalculated  suddenness  and  an  unsought  but 
liberal  collection  of  bruises.  This,  however, 
was  not  a  happening  of  the  unexpected  and 
could  have  no  attention  amid  scenes  of  wonder 
and  beauty,  and  we  were  close  to  the  Geysers. 
From  a  scientific  point  of  view  this  is  the  most 
important  portion  of  the  cave,  for  here  is  an 
indisputable  proof  that  the  water  in  the  cave 
was  hot  and  that  it  was  subject  to  geyser  action. 
The  surrounding  region  is  covered  with  the 
crust  already  described,  and  at  the  top  of  a  gen- 
tle elevation  is  thrown  up  in  the  unmistakable 
form  of  geyser  cones ;  there  being  two  near 
together  on  the  surface  described,  with  a  third 
visible  through  one  of  these  on  a  slightly  lower 
level,  this  one  being  a  new  discoveiy,  as  it  had 
escaped  observation  until  we  called  attention  to 
it. 

These  small  cones  show  that  after  the  degree 
of  heat  and  the  volume  of  water  had  become 
reduced  to  the  merest  fraction  of  their  former 
greatness,  they  continued  their  accustomed 
work  here  in  the  depth  of  the  earth  long  after 
the  once  grand  old  geyser  had  ceased  to  show 
an  outward  sign  of  life.  When  the  water  fin- 
ally became  so  reduced  even  here  that  the  steam 
could  no  longer  force  it  through,  or  to  these 
latest  vents,  the  last  rising  vapors  fringed  their 
edges  with    a   beautiful  snow-white    border  of 


Ozarks  and  Black  Hills.  147 

crystallized  carbonate  of  lime  as  fine  and  soft 
as  a  band  of  swan's  down,  which  it  resembles. 
In  the  pure,  still  atmosphere  of  the  eighth  level, 
almost  five  hundred  feet  beneath  the  entrance, 
this  silent  proof  of  ancient  action  will  endure 
for  the  admiration  and  instruction  of  many 
generations  yet  to  come.  Few  mortals  will  ever 
be  honored  with  memorials  so  lasting  or  so  con- 
vincing of  vanished  power. 

Proceeding  on  the  journey  the  next  chamber 
is  the  A.  0.  U.  W.  Hall,  a  large,  irregular  room, 
by  the  rise  of  which  a  return  to  the  seventh  level 
is  accomplished;  and  the  next  entered  is  the 
Tabernacle,  not  at  all  resembling  the  last,  al- 
though a   similar  description   would   be  correct. 

Now  is  reached  what  many  consider  the  cave's 
greatest  charm,  The  Pearly  Gates.  And  mar- 
velously  beautiful  it  certainly  i^. 

Approaching  by  a  slightly  lower  level,  we  see 
a  gateway  opening  between  large  rocks  that 
light  up  with  the  soft  lustre  and  varied  tints  of 
mammoth  pearls.  A  wonderful  effect  is  pro- 
duced by  the  white  calcite  crystal  spread  in  un- 
equal thickness  over  the  dark  surface  of  the 
encrusted  rocks.  Just  without  the  gate  is  a 
short  but  not  golden  stairway  leading  to  it, 
and  immediately  within  is  the  Saint's  Rest,  a 
chamber  of  moderate  size  beautified  by  another 
great  rock  on  which  are  combined  the  warm, 
pearly   glow    of  calcite   and   the  cold  glitter  of 


148  Cave  Regions  of  the 

frost  by  the  later  addition  of  lime  carbonate 
vapor-crystals  to  the  calcium  carbonate  aragon- 
ite. 

Next  beyond  is  the  chamber  containing  the 
Standing  Rock  behind  which  Mr.  Johnstone 
made  his  fanious  discovery  of  the  concealed  pin- 
head.  It  is  an  immense  great  fallen  rock  on 
whose  dark  surface  are  scattered  transparent 
flake-like  crystals  of  satin  spar,  resembling 
the  congealed  drops  of  a  summer  shower. 
The  mind-reader  entered  the  chamber  by  the 
way  we  shall  leave  it. 

Returning  to  the  spot  from  which  the  Pearly 
Gates  were  first  viewed,  we  stand  facing  the 
most  beautiful  of  this  imposing  group  of  brilliant 
scenes,  The  Mermaid's  Resort.  This  is  a  small 
cove  with  wave  marks  in  the  white  beach  sand, 
above  which  rises  a  projecting,  sheltering  cliff 
as  purely  white  as  freshly  fallen  snow,  with  a 
fine  deposit  of  frost  work  in  thick  moss-like 
patterns  two  and  three  inches  deep. 

This  crystalline  mass,  so  white  and  fragile, 
has  to  perfection  the  appearance  of  hoar-frost 
about  a  steam-vent  in  extremely  cold  weather, 
and  was,  no  doubt,  formed  in  a  somewhat  simi- 
lar manner.  It  is  crystallized  carbonate  of  lime, 
and  could  have  been  deposited  in  such  extremely 
delicate  forms  only  by  the  heavily  charged 
vapors  rising  from  hot  water.  No  one  needs  to 
be  told  that  hot   water  will   take   and    hold    in 


Ozarks  and  Black  Hills.  140 

solution  a  much  larger  quantity  of  solid  matter 
than  is  possible  to  cold  water,  with  all  other  con- 
ditions the  same;  nor  is  it  news  that  a  portion 
of  the  solid  substance  is  carried  off  in  the  rising 
steam.  Now  the  geyser  cones,  so  recently  visi- 
ted on  the  next  lower  level,  prove  both  the  heat 
of  the  water  and  its  heavy  charge  of  solids, 
which  gave  it  a  far  more  intense  heat  than  pure 
water  could  have  equaled,  and  this  in  turn  drove 
the  steam  to  greater  distances  than  otherwise  it 
would  have  reached.  When  cooled  to  such  a 
point  as  to  be  reduced  to  a  light  vapor,  its  move- 
ment was  checked  by  various  walls,  projections, 
and  ceiling  as  were  in  its  upward  path,  and 
these  received  the  minute  particles  of  burden, 
while  the  somewhat  brisk  motion  of  the  atmos- 
phere, occasioned  at  these  points  by  the  mixing 
of  that  of  higher  temperature  from  below  with 
the  lower  from  above,  is  responsible  for  the 
dainty  and  varied  forms  assumed  by  the  fragile 
structure. 

Once  more  resuming  the  journey,  we  admire 
the  rugged  charms  of  University  Heights,  a 
somewhat  larger  and  higher  room  than  the  next, 
St.  Dominic's  Chamber,  but  perhaps  not  more 
interesting  than  the  Council  Chamber,  which 
besides  other  attractions  is  to  some  extent  also  a 
Statuary  Hall.  From  the  Council  Chamber  the 
Alpine  Way  leads  up  into  the  Fair  Grounds 
directly    above.     This  Alpine   Way  is  a  sort  of 


150  Cave  Regions. 

cork-screw  twisting  through  the  rocks,  not  unlike 
a,  badly  walled  well,  assisted  at  the  lowest  por- 
tion by  a  short  and  nearly  perpendicular  ladder. 
Next  is  the  Assembly  Room,  or  Crown  Chamber, 
as  it  is  also  called  on  account  of  a  handsome 
crown  conspicuously  placed.  This  room  also 
contains  a  Moose  so  perfectly  carved  that  the 
skeptic  who  searches  diligently  for  imperfections 
finally  clamors  for  the  whole  company  to  cele- 
brate his  discovery  of  the  artist's  noble  skill. 

Leaving  this  room  we  re-enter  Milliner's 
Avenue  and  soon  cross  the  bridge  from  which,  a 
few  hours  ago,  wedecended  into  the  eighth  level 
by  way  of  Castle  Garden  ;  and  now  the  return  to 
the  surface  is  by  the  route  followed  before,  and 
we  arrive  there  at  last  terribly  weary,  but  more 
than  well  pleased. 


OF  THE 

UNfVERSi 

or 


Top  of  Glacier. 

Page  155. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

WIND    (AVE    CONCLUDED. 
GARDEN    OF  EDEN,   THE  GLACIER,    AND    ICE    PALACE. 

There  is  yet  another  long  and  charming  line 
of  travel  open  to  those  who  have  sufficiently 
steady  heads  and  light  feet  to  suffer  no  loss  of 
confidence  or  depression  of  spirit  when  mounting 
the  steep  stairway  whose  limit  seems  lost  in  the 
dark  distance  above. 

There  being  but  the  single  entrance,  a  repeti- 
tion of  the  worn  and  ancient  statement  that  all 
roads  lead  to  Rome,  means  that  many  journeys 
may  be  taken  in  Wind  Cave,  but  all  must  have 
the  same  beginning. 

In  the  tourist  season  the  guides  have  not 
time  during  the  day  to  bring  out  specimens  to 
supply  the  demand,  so  on  this  account  night 
trips  are  of  frequent  occurrence ;  and  on  these 
occasions  the  number  of  persons  in  all  that  vast 
space  seldom  exceeds  half  a  dozen,  but  their 
voices  and  laughter,  and  the  blows  of  their  ham- 
mers, can  be  heard  at  greater  distances  than 
would  seem  possible,  and  give  an  agreeable  sense 
•  of  companionship;  yet  the  voice  does  not  travel 
by  any  means  so  far  as  in  other  caves. 

151 


152  Cave  Regions  of  the 

The  evening  we  were  to  make  the  long  trip 
just  mentioned,  our  guide  being  ready  before 
any  others  had  gone  in,  we  started  the  advance  on 
the  ninety-seven  miles  of  enclosed,  unoccupied 
space  and  had  almost  reached  the  level  of  the 
Bridal  Chamber  when  he  remembered  a  forgot- 
ten and  necessary  roll  of  magnesium  ribbon,  for 
which  it  was  needful  to  return  to  the  office  in  the 
upper  building.  I  sat  down  on  the  lowest  step 
of  the  great  stairway  to  wait,  and  for  a  very 
short  time  was  entirely  alone  in  the  largest 
cavern  in  the  world,  excepting  the  Mammoth  Cave 
of  Kentucky. 

The  unexpected  experience  seemed  suddenly 
to  become  one  of  the  great  events  of  a  lifetime, 
and  was  unmarred  by  the  disturbing  apprehen- 
sions of  any  possible  danger.  The  entire 
absence  of  sound  was  indescribably  awe-inspir- 
ing as 

11  Strata  overleaping  strata  from  the  center 

to  the  crust, 
Rose,  Alp-high,  in  molten  silence,  as  the 

dead  rise  from  the  dust;" 

but  the  feeling  of  complete  isolation  from  the 
living  world  would  not  require  an  unlimited 
time  to  merit  the  one  word — horrible.  Even 
some  peril  with  ample  companionship  would  be 
more  agreeable,  while  it  is  a  curious  fact  that 
the  combination  of  companionship  with  silence 
is  charming.  On  the  occasion  of  one  visit  to 
the  cave  it  was    painful   to   observe   the  actual 


Ozarks  and  Black  Hills.  153 

suffering  of  a  lover  of  quiet,  from  the  good- 
natured,  but  heedless,  chatter  of  two  of  the 
party. 

Presently  steps  on  the  stairs  broke  the  still- 
ness, a  glimmer  of  light  pierced  the  intense 
darkness  that  surrounded  the  circle  of  one 
candle,  and  the  upper  woild  seemed  not  so  far 
away. 

The  interrupted  journey  was  resumed,  the 
route  being  that  already  described  as  far  as  the 
Confederate  Cross  Roads,  where,  this  time,  we 
go  straight  on  in  the  main  fissure  instead  of 
turning  into  the  cross-crevice,  as  was  done  before. 

We  were  overtaken  b}T  the  specimen  party  and 
recognized  the  three  laughing  young  girls  only 
by  their  voices,  as  in  full  suits  of  overalls  and 
white  duck  caps,  they  looked  like  boys.  Those 
who  reside  near  the  large  caves  have  overcome 
their  objection  to  this  costume,  as  it  gives  much 
greater  freedom  and  ease  of  movement,  besides 
being  a  decided  economy.  Feminine  garments 
are  so  easily  destroyed,  but  for  artistic  effect 
the  substitute  cannot  conscientiously  be  recom- 
mended. 

Beyond  the  Cross  Roads  the  first  chamber  is 
Breckinridge  Gallery,  a  long,  rambling  hall  in 
which  are  combined  the  attractions  already 
passed  and  those  yet  to  come,  but  having  no 
striking  feature  predominating  to  give  special 
character  other  than   the    grandeur   of   extreme 


154  Cave  Regions  of  the 

roughness,  which  is  also  the  quality  most  ob- 
served on  passing  into  the  Stone  Quarry,  where 
great  accumulations  of  blocks  seem  waiting  pre- 
paration for  shipment. 

The  next  "  open  country  "  is  protected  from 
public  trespass  by  the  Garden  Wall,  which 
appears  to  have  been  well  built  in  the  long  ago 
by  masons  properly  trained  in  their  craft,  and 
extends,  at  a  uniform  height,  to  the  Fallen 
Flats,  where  the  floor  is  covered  with  slabs  of 
enormous  size  that  have  fallen  from  the  ceiling 
since  water  occupation  ceased,  as  is  clearly 
shown  by  the  sharp  edges  and  surfaces  entirely 
unworn. 

The  journey  now  becomes  more  interesting  as 
the  Cliff-Climbers'  Delight  is  reached,  and  we 
go  steadily  up  the  long  flights  of  stairs  until 
visions  of  St.  Peter  begin  to  rise  and  we  wonder 
which  way  the  key  will  turn.  Near  the  top  is  a 
handsome  growth  of  snow-white  mold  hanging 
in  long  draperies  behind  the  ladder  or  spread 
like  an  asparagus  fern  flattened  against  the 
rock. 

Arrived  at  the  top  limits  of  the  stairs  the 
ascent  is  by  no  means  finished,  but  continues 
through  three  large  chambers  known  as  Five 
Points,  the  Omaha  Bee  Office — named  by  one  of 
the  staff  of  that  well  known  journal — and  the 
A\r.  C.  T.  U.  Hall,  dedicated  to  the  service  of 
the  organization  by  one  of  its  workers. 


Ozarks  and  Black  Hills.  155 

At  hist  the  upward  journey  is  ended  at  the 
Silent  Lake  in  the  first,  or  highest,  level.  This, 
as  lias  already  been  observed,  is  the  only  body 
of  water  now  standing  in  the  cave,  and  is  not- 
more  than  ten  feet  long  by  six  in  width  and 
twelve  inches  deep.  The  scanty  volume  is 
maintained  by  the  very  limited  inflow  of  acidu- 
lated percolating  water  which  reaches  the  small 
receiving  basin  charged  with  calcium  carbonate; 
and  being  cold,  the  charge  is  being  precipitated 
on  the  bottom  instead  of  forming  a  crust  over 
the  surface  as  in  former  times  when  the  control- 
ling influence  was  a  degree  of  heat  sufficient  to 
sustain  solid  matter  without  disturbing  motion. 

Rising  above  the  Silent  Lake  is  the  Glacier, 
its  moist  surface  suggesting  that  the  lake  is  fed 
by  a  slight  thaw,  while  the  perpendicular  front 
at  the  water's  edge  gives  the  impression  of  a 
berg  having  recently  broken  off  and  floated 
away. 

The  Glacier  flows  between  two  high  walls  of 
dark  rock,  and  the  steep  incline  of  perhaps 
seventy  feet,  covered  with  a  smooth  deposit  of 
calcite  and  shining  with  moisture,  has  the 
appearance  of  ice  and  is  as  uninviting  for  a 
climb.  The  top  is  connected  with  the  roof 
above  by  a  group  of  short,  and  for  this  region, 
heavy  columns  of  dripstone,  the  oldest  forma- 
tion of  that  character  in  the  cave. 

An  occasional  overflow  of  the  lake  passes  out 


156  Cave  Regions  of  the 

to  one  side,  then  turns  and  goes  under  the 
Glacier  where  its  first  few  feet  of  descent  are 
called  the  Pearl  Beds,  where  a  variety  of  water- 
polished  pebbles  are  being  coated  over  and 
cemented  together  with  calcite  crystal. 

From  the  Glacier  down  to  the  lowest  level  of 
the  cave  by  another  route  than  that  taken  for 
the  ascent,  there  is  abundant  evidence  that  at 
one  time  this  portion  of  the  cave  was  subject  to 
excessively  violent  activity,  and  if  studied  with 
a  view  to  the  penetration  of  the  principle  of 
geyser  action,  offers  many  interesting  and 
valuable  suggestions  that  can  be  added  to  and 
expanded  into  definite  theories  in  connection 
with  the  balance  of  the  cave;  all  important 
requirements  are  clearly  shown. 

At  a  short  distance  from  the  Glacier  is  a  small 
circular  dome,  called  the  Picture  Gallery,  which 
evidently  was  shaped  by  water  forced  up  from 
below.  The  descent  from  here  takes  us  into  the 
St.  Louis  Tunnel,  a  long  rough  passage  leading 
down  into  the  great  Cathedral,  by  the  still  de- 
scending irregularities  of  which  we  finally  reach 
the  Garden  of  Eden,  the  objective  point  of  a 
favorite  tourist  route,  but  usually  approached 
from  the  opposite  direction.  It  is  a  large 
chamber  of  very  irregular  shape,  with  an  ex- 
tremely uneven  ceiling,  dipping  nearly  to  the 
floor  and  rising  suddenly  to  distant  heights, 
while  every  portion  of    all    the    varied    surfaces 


Ozarks  and  Black   Hills.  157 

glitters  with  a  mass  of  frost  work  in  every  form 
it  is  known  to  have  assumed;  the  banks  of 
orange  buds  in  different  stages  of  expansion 
being  exceptionally  handsome.  A  portion  of 
this  wonderful  room  especially  admired  is 
Cupid's  Alcove,  where  the  frost  is  tinged  with 
u  pinkish  flush  from  the  brilliant  paint  clay 
captured  in  minute  particles  by  the  vapors.  The 
whole  room  is  a  marvel  of  loveliness,  but  unfor- 
tunately visitors  have  wrought  such  noticeable 
damage  that  wire  screening  must  be  placed 
before  the  general  admittance  of  large  parties 
can  be  resumed. 

Passing  out  and  down  to  a  lower  level,  by  way 
of  Jacob's  Well,  we  find  the  source  of  that 
magnificent  abundance  of  frost  work  to  be  in 
the  Chamber  of  Forbidden  Fruit,  where  a  yellow 
calcite  floor-crust  indicates  the  surface  level  of 
water  diminishing  in  volume  by  evaporation  long 
after  the  upward  flow  had  forever  ceased,  and 
from  which  the  rising  vapor  ascended  to  decor- 
ate the  Garden  of  Eden,  just  described.  But 
since  this  water  completely  disappeared,  leaving 
in  evidence  only  the  record-bearing  crust,  a 
percolating  drip  has  prepared  indisputable  proof 
of  the  remote  distance  of  that  time  by  depositing 
on  the  crust  great  clusters  of  luscious  fruits, 
chiefly  cherries,  which  appear  to  have  been  care- 
lessly tossed  down  in  heaps,  but  are  firmly  fixed 
in  place. 


158  Cave  Beg  ions  of  the 

The  onward  journey  continues  up  and  down 
through  Beacon  Heights,  a  large  chamber  which 
imitates  Rocky  Mountain  scenery  and  terminates 
at  the  Corkscrew  Path  which,  as  the  name  indi- 
cates, is  a  spiral  path  winding  down  like  a  great 
stairway  against  the  wall  of  an  approximatel}* 
circular  chamber  which  is  perhaps  the  highest 
in  the  cave,  and  shows  the  most  violent  water- 
action.  The  plunging  torrent  rushed  on  from 
here  to  tear  out  the  heavy  rock  and  form  the 
next  chamber,  known  as  Dante's  Inferno, whence, 
its  force  being  divided,  it  went  more  gently  in 
various  directions.  And  by  one  of  these  pas- 
sages we  now  re-enter  the  main  route  of  travel 
once  more,  and  finally  return  to  the  face  of  the 
earth,  wonderirig  if  it  will  be  possible  to  so  de- 
scribe those  wonderful  scenes  as  to  represent 
with  even  a  limited  degree  of  fairness  or  justice 
the  awe-inspiring  grandeur  of  the  entire  trip,  or 
the  perfection  of  fragile  loveliness  formed  and 
preserved  as  by  special  miracles  in  the  Garden 
of  Eden. 

One  peculiarity  of  this  great  journey  was  that 
the  box  work,  so  abundant  in  other  portions  of 
the  cave,  was  here  conspicuously  absent. 

THE  CRYSTAL  PALACE. 

Another  route  in  Wind  Cave  is  that  to  the  Crys- 
tal Palace  which,  although  the  shortest,  is  the 
one  most  seldom  taken  by  visitors,  because  of  a 


Ozarks  and  Black   Hills.  159 

certain  amount  of  difficulty  and  discomfort  being 
unavoidable.  Only  a  portion  of  the  great  stair- 
way below  the  entrance  is  descended,  when  we 
abandon  it  and  climb  into  a  hole  in  the  side-wall 
of  the  narrow  passage,  from  which  point  to  the 
end  of  the  trip  our  feet  prove  to  be  merely  en- 
cumbrances. 

The  space  crawled  into  and  through  widens 
sufficiently  in  several  places  to  form  chambers 
of  good  size,  but  the  height  of  the  ceiling  is  no- 
where more  than  three  feet  and  most  of  it  only 
two  or  even  less.  The  rough  rock  floor  is  partly 
carpeted  with  patehes  of  loose  moist  clay,  which 
is  the  means  of  our  becoming  as  grimy  as  tramps, 
and  its  source  is  readily  accounted  for  by  an  ex- 
amination of  the  ceiling.  This  is  easily  made 
while  resting  one  skinned  elbow  at  the  expense  of 
the  other.  The  word  ''abraded''  is  inadequate 
where,  anything  approaching  real  cave  study  is 
attempted. 

The  box  work  of  the  ceiling  has  almost  en- 
tirely lost  its  crystallization,  and  is  as  ready  to 
crumble  as  the  enclosed  clay,  which  is  still 
retained  because  it  had  not  yet  reached  the 
necessary  point  of  deterioration  to  be  carried 
out  before  the  great  volume  of  water,  required 
for  that  service,  retired  from  this  high  level  of 
the  cave. 

When  finally  reached,  the  Crystal  Palace 
proved  worthy  of  the  effort,  its  decoration  being 


160  Cave  Beg  ions  of  the 

entirely  of  dripstone  and  very  beautiful,  although 
on  too  small  a  scale  to  be  compared  with  similar 
work  in  many  caves:  it  is  merely  an  attractive 
"extra"  in  Wind  Cave,  and  not  one  of  the 
important  attractions  that  give  the  Cave  the 
rank  that  may  have  a  few  equals  but  no  superiors. 

The  first  room  is  scarcely  more  than  twelve 
feet  in  either  direction  and  not  quite  six  feet 
high.  The  glassy  ceiling  is  thickly  studded 
with  small  stalactites  from  two  to  eighteen  inches 
in  length,  and  mostly  of  the  hollow  "pipe- 
stem"  variety,  from  which  the  surplus  drip 
rests  in  white  masses  on  the  clean  floor  around 
a  central  bowl  of  good  clear  water. 

Down  the  middle  of  the  wall  directly  oppo- 
site the  entrance  a  rushing  little  white  cascade 
has  congealed,  and  on  either  side  just  under 
the  ceiling  is  a  hollowed-out  nook  closely  set 
with  short  stalactites  and  small  columns,  all  pure 
white. 

Near  by  but  not  connected  is  another  room  too 
well  filled  to  permit  an  entrance,  but  a  por- 
tion of  the  wall  having  been  carried  out  a  satis- 
factory view  is  not  denied.  Here  the  floor  rises 
to  within  three  feet  of  the  ceiling,  and  the  de- 
posit is  much  heavier,  so  that  many  fine  col- 
umns rise  from  bases  that  spread  and  meet  or 
overlap.  If  the  cave  had  no  greater  claim  to 
notice  than  these  small  drip  rooms,  it  would 
still  be  worthy  of  a  visit, 


Ozarks  and  Black  Hills.  161 

The  effort  to  secure  flash-light  pictures  could 
only  be  considered  successful  because  there  are 
none  better  to  be  had. 

The  atmosphere  of  Wind  Cave  is  marvelously 
fresh  and  pure,  and  possesses  in  a  high  degree 
the  invigorating  quality  which  in  most  caves 
renders  unusual  exertion  not  only  possible, 
but  agreeable  as  well.  In  all  the  chambers  and 
passages  there  is  little  change  in  the  quality  of 
the  air,  and  thorough  tests  with  a  standard 
thermometer  showed  the  variations  on  the  dif- 
ferent levels,  from  the  highest  to  the  lowest,  to 
be  about  !2°:  but  on  different  days  the  range 
was  from  45°  to  52°.  This  curious  state  of 
affairs  some  one  else  will  have  to  explain. 

The  only  forms  of  life  ever  found  in  Wind 
Cave  are  a  small  fly  and  the  mountain  rat. 

While  visiting  the  cave,  every  one  connected 
with  it  was  most  kind  and  obliging,  especially 
in  showing  those  beautiful  and  difficult  por- 
tions that  few  visitors  are  so  fortunate  as  to  see. 
While  this  is  very  far  from  being  a  complete 
description  even  of  the  parts  visited,  it  will 
serve  to  show  what  a  truly  grand  cavern  is  lo- 
cated at  the  south  end  of  the  Black  Hills. 

The  elevation  at  Hot  Springs  is  three  thousand, 
four  hundred  feet,  and  that  of  the  entrance  to  the 
cave  is  four  thousand  and  forty  feet.  A  source  of 
disappointment  in  connection  with  Wind  Cave  is 
that  its  fine  scenery  cannot  be  effectively  pictured 


CHAPTER    XIII. 

THE  ONYX  CAVES. 

Northwest  of  Hot  Springs  there  is  a  group  of 
three  onyx  caves,  the  distance  to  them  being 
estimated  at  from  seven  to  ten  miles,  if  the 
party  does  not  get  lost,  which  is  the  usual  fate 
of  those  who  dispense  with  the  service  of  a 
driver  familiar  with  the  country.  In  going,  the 
longer  way,  over  the  hill-tops,  claims  a  prefer- 
ence on  account  of  distant  views  with  a  favora- 
ble light.  When  the  Onyx  Cave  Ranch  is 
reached  its  scenery  is  found  to  be  charming, 
with  an  ideal  log  house  overlooking  the  canon, 
and  itself  overlooked  by  the  rising  slope  of  the 
wooded  hill.  The  entrance  to  the  cave  is  in  the 
opposite  wall  of  the  canon,  and  is  covered  by  a 
small  cabin,  at  the  door  of  which  the  view 
demands  a  pause  for  admiration;  then  the 
party  disappears  down  a  narrow,  rough, 
sloping  passage  of  sufficient  height  for  comfort 
to  none  but  know  the  value  of  comparative  de- 
grees. It  soon  appeared,  however,  that  personal 
comfort  would  travel  only  a  short  distance. 
The  mud  increased  with  every  step,  and  in  its 
midst  was  a  small  hole  through  which  it  was 
necessary  to  pass  to  the  next  lower  level.     This 

162 


Ozarks  and  Black  mils.  163 

hole  being  so  small  and  its  walls  slanting,  the 
only  way  to  accomplish  the  first  half  of  the 
descent  was  to  sit  down  in  the  mud  and  slide, 
stopping  half  way  to  examine  a  fine  ledge  of 
beautiful  striped  onyx,  white  and  a  brownish 
pink,  the  first  outcrop  in  the  cave,  but  in  the 
next  level  it  is  seen  in  rich  abundance  and  vari- 
ety;  the  colors  being  red,  black  and  white, 
brown  in  several  shades  and  pure  white.  All 
are  handsome  and  of  commercial  quality  and 
hardness;  and  just  above  them  is  a  ledge  of  fine 
blue  marble. 

The  next  chamber  is  called  the  Bad  Lands,  on 
account  of  a  certain  resemblance  to  that  deso- 
late region.  The  way  into  it  is  through  the 
Devil's  Corkscrew,  a  most  uninviting  passage 
because  it  stands  on  end  and  is  about  twelve 
feet  deep  with  circular,  perpendicular  walls  dis- 
couragingly  free  of  prominent  irregularities;  but 
careful  study  reveals  a  few  available  crags  and 
rough  edges,  by  which  the  descent  is  made. 
Fortunately  the  party  decreased  in  size  just 
within  the  entrance.  Climbing  up  into  a  hole 
in  the  wall  of  this  room,  with  no  little  difficulty, 
the  Aerial  Lake  is  the  reward  of  a  breathless 
upward  struggle,  and  a  satisfying  one.  The 
Lake  is  very  small,  but  under  its  clear  surface 
can  be  seen  numerous  growing  deposits  of  cal- 
cite,  while  the  roof  of  onyx  gleams  with  a  mass 
of  small  white  stalactites. 


164  Cave  Regions  of  the 

Returning  again  to  the  main  route  and  travel- 
ing to  the  end  of  a  short  passage  we  beheld  the 
entrance  to  Red  Hall,  a  piece  of  rope  ladder 
dangling  half  way  down  a  perpendicular  wall, 
the  other  half  having  no  help  whatever.  The 
way  was  clear  so  far  as  the  length  of  the  ladder, 
and  with  trust  in  the  future  soon  learned  in 
cave  work  that  distance  was  at  once  passed, 
and  sitting  on  the  very  narrow  ledge  to  cogitate 
on  the  possibility  of  further  progress,  Mr.  Sid- 
ey  solved  the  problem  by  suggesting,  rather 
doubtfully,  that  the  easiest  way  would  be  to 
drop  off  and  allow  him  to  interrupt  the  fall. 
This  method  had  twice  proved  the  only  means  of 
advance  in  Wind  Cave  and  can  be  termed  rapid 
transit.  The  walls  of  Red  Hall  are  of  stratified 
limestone  variegated  with  patches  of  red  rock, 
and  clay  of  the  same  gay  hue.  It  is  the  highest 
chamber  in  the  cave  and  probably  the  largest. 
A  hole  in  the  wall  at  the  floor  level,  near  the 
entrance  to  the  passage  beyond,  gives  a  glimpse 
of  the  cave  river  flowing  on  a  slightly  lower 
level,  not  over  two  feet  below  the  floor  we  stand 
on.  The  water  is  said  to  have  a  depth  of  fifteen 
feet,  and  a  rock  thrown  in  gave  back  the  sound 
of  a  splash  into  water  not  shallow.  Entering 
the  passage  already  referred  to,  its  dimensions 
decreased  to  a  crawl  and  then  to  a  squeeze,  so 
that  most  of  its  length  was  taken  in  a  very 
humble  position,  which  permitted  no  regard  to 


UBrJ> 

^  n  Or 


Fairies'  Palace. 
Page  165. 


Ozarks  and  Black  Hills.  165 

be  paid  to  the  ample  mud  or  little  pools  of  water 
that  must  be  serenely  dragged  through  as  if 
carrying  them  away  were  an  agreeable  privilege. 
Even  a  muddy  passage  ends  in  time,  and  at  last 
we  gained  a  standing  point  and  after  a  short 
climb  were  in  Fairies'  Palace,  a  marvel  of  dainty 
beauty,  and  worthy  of  the  distasteful  trip  just 
taken.  We  stood  in  a  narrow  passage  that 
divided  the  small  chamber  like  the  central  aisle 
of  a  cathedral,  above  which  the  white  roof 
formed  a  Gothic  arch  from  which  depended 
countless  little  stalactites  and  draperies,  while 
on  either  side,  six  feet  above  the  passage,  was 
a  floor  of  onyx  supporting  exquisite  columns  of 
which  the  highest  are  not  more  than  three  feet. 
Only  a  short  distance  from  the  Fairies'. Palace  is 
the  almost  equally  beautiful  Ethereal  Hall,  and 
connecting  the  two  I  had  the  pleasure  to  discov- 
er a  small  arched  passage  more  beautiful  than 
either. 

Although  much  of  the  cave  was  still  not  visi- 
ted, the  long  drive  to  town  demanded  a  return 
to  the  surface,  but  several  stops  were  made  on 
the  way  to  admire  masses  of  onyx  and  groups  of 
curious  forms  in  deposits  of  that  fine  stone. 
One  high,  crooked  chimney  above  the  Corkscrew 
is  especially  fine  and  correspondingly  difficult 
for  a  grown  person  weighted  down  with  gar- 
ments dripping  mud  and  water;  but  Kimball 
Stone, our  boy  friend,  scampered  up  like  a  squirrel. 


166  Cave  Regions  of  the 

Two  of  the  Onyx  Caves  had  not  been  seen  at 
all  and  Mr.  Sidey  expressed  special  regret  on 
account  of  the  latest  discovery  as  no  woman  had 
ever  yet  entered  it;  but  the  sun  was  low  in  the 
west  and  the  road  had  some  dangerous  points 
that  must  be  passed  before  dark,  so  the  reeking 
skirt  was  removed  and  without  waiting  to  dry 
by  the  great  lire  kindled  for  the  purpose  we 
hurried  off,  promising  to  return  if  possible,  and 
carrying  treasures  in  specimens,  besides  an  an- 
cient lemon,  which  may  not  be  called  a  fossil, 
since  soft  substances  are  said  not  to  fossilize; 
but  however  that  may  be,  this  is  a  perfect  lemon 
whose  particles  have  been  replaced  with  the 
lasting  rock  in  the  same  way  as  the  numerous 
Cycad  trunks  in  the  same  region  have  been  pre- 
served to  prove  to  us  conclusively  that  former- 
ly the  region  flourished  under  tropical  condi- 
tions, and  supported  an  abundant  animal  life  of 
tropical  nature  and  habits. 

Soon  after  leaving  the  ranch,  we  descended 
by  a  sort  of  goat-trail-road  into  a  grandly  beau- 
tiful canon,  along  the  bed  of  which  the  road 
continues  until  it  flows  out  as  the  water  did  in 
ages  gone.  By  this  time  it  had  become  quite 
dark,  and  the  chill  of  the  northwest  night  formed 
a  combination  with  saturated  clothing  that  can- 
not be  highly  recommended  as  a  pleasure ;  but 
the  natural  chivalry  which  prompted  our  young 
escort  to  insist  on  lending  his  own  coat,  and  his 


Ozarks  and  Black  Hills.  167 

evident  disappointment  that  the  sacrifice  was 
not  allowed,  afforded  a  pleasure  that  will  con- 
tinue. 

THE    WHITE    ONYX    CAVE. 

A  few  days  later  it  was  convenient  to  return 
to  the  Onyx  Cave  ranch  with  the  special  object 
of  entering  the  newest  cave,  which  could  be 
done  with  the  assistance  of  seventy  feet  of  rope. 
While  necessary  preparations  were  pending,  a 
walk  up  the  canon  was  proposed.  At  a  distance 
of  perhaps  a  quarter  of  a  mile  above  Onyx  Cave 
evidence  was  seen  of  a  very  remarkable  form  of 
ancient  life.  It  is  not  the  usual  few  bones  but 
is  a  cast  in  the  rock  of  the  canon  bed  of  an  ani- 
mal clothed  in  its  flesh.  The  appearance  of  the 
head,  neck,  body  and  wings  is  preserved,  but 
the  tail  and  four  limbs  have  been  carried  away 
by  eroding  waters  which  even  now  have  not 
quite  forsaken  the  canon.  The  containing 
stratum  is  not  seen  in  the  canon  wall,  and  near 
the  lower  end  of  the  canon  a  fine  white  sand- 
stone crops  out  beneath.  We  ask:  "  Was  the 
canon  cut  to  its  full  depth  while  yet  a  Cretaceous 
sea  was  depositing  beach-sand,  and  did  the  ear- 
liest horse,  with  wings,  appear  at  the  close  of 
that  period?  Or,  did  an  animal  with  fore  limbs 
developed,  retain  its  wings  into  Miocene  time 
and  leave  record  of  its  life  in  an  arm  of  the  Ter- 
tiary lake?  '  The  body  is  that  of  a  horse  with 
wings  attached   to  the   shoulders.     The  head  is 


168  Cave  Regions  of  the 

unlike  that  of  a  modern  horse,  being  much 
shorter  and  more  rounded,  but  the  parted  lips 
give  a  glimpse  of  the  teeth  of  a  young  horse.  If 
only  the  feet  could  be  found,  I  feel  assured  they 
would  prove  that  the  three-toed  horse  of  ancient 
time,  so  abundantly  in  evidence  throughout  this 
region,  was  possessed  of  wings  and  in  some  way 
furnished  the  idea  of  Pegasus. 

A  few  feet  further  down  the  canon  are  a  pair 
of  twisted  wings  that  show  the  animal  to  have 
perished  in  company  with  its  mate,  while  trying 
to  escape  from  a  sudden  flood  that  rushed  down 
the  canon  like  a  moving  wall. 

After  some  uneasy  discussion  about  the  means 
of  entering  the  new  cave,  it  was  finally  decided 
that  the  available  rope  was  too  short  and  not  of 
sufficient  strength.  This  was,  of  course,  a  dis- 
appointment but  not  a  surprise,  as  a  very 
peculiar  quality  in  the  rope  used  to  enter  caves 
of  this  kind  had  come  to  notice  before.  The 
peculiarity  is,  that  a  rope  entirely  above  sus- 
picion for  the  saftty  of  a  two  hundred  pound 
man,  at  once  weakens  and  must  be  condemned 
when  threatened  with  one  hundred  pounds  of 
woman's  weight,  yet  there  is  an  implied  compli- 
ment hidden  somewhere  about  this  protective 
system  that  tends  to  reduce  the  sting  of  disap- 
pointment. 

So  it  was  agreed  to  spend  the  afternoon  in  the 
White  Onyx  Cave,  which  is  generally  spoken  of 


Whit*;   Onyx  .Masses, 

Page  170. 


Ozarks  and   Black   Hills.  169 

simply  as  the  Upper  Cave  because  it  occupies  a 
higher  level  than  the  Onyx  Cave  already 
described,  and  is  supposed  to  be  an  extension  of 
the  same  although  no  connecting  passage  has 
been  discovered. 

The  accompanying  friend  had  not  been 
costumed  for  caving,  but  was  persuaded  to  accept 
a  full  suit  of  overalls,  which  needed  the  addition 
of  a  pick  and  pipe  to  make  the  picture  perfect. 
Unfortunately  a  snap  shot  failed. 

The  entrance  is  in  a  perpendicular  portion  of 
the  canon  wall,  but  a  narrow  path  that  starts 
some  distance  away  and  appears  in  eminent 
danger  of  falling  off,  makes  most  of  the  ascent 
comparatively  easy;  and  the  balance  is  completed 
by  a  short  ladder  whose  rounds  dip  toward  the 
canon  bed  in  a  rather  alarming  manner,  but  this 
only  proves  the  folly  of  giving  too  much  heed  to 
appearances,  for  it  is  strong  and  firmly  fastened 
to  the  rocks. 

Just  within  the  entrance  there  is  height 
sufficient  for  standing,  but  the  roof  descends 
suddenly  and  the  walls  come  near  together, 
reducing  the  passage  to  a  crawl,  and  showing 
that  in  past  times  water  poured  in  at  this  open- 
ing and  not  out  as  might  be  supposed.  The  first 
chamber  entered  is  the  Crystal  Gallery,  but  it  is 
so  nearly  filled  with  great  masses  of  pure  white 
onyx  no  standing  room  remains.  Drops  of 
water  on  portions  of  the  onyx   ceiling   here  are 


170  Cave  Regions  of  the 

the  only  moisture  remaining  in  this  cave.  When 
Mac's*  head  came  in  contact  with  the  roof  he 
called  to  the  guide:  "  See  here,  little  boy,  you 
ought  to  sing  out  '  low  bridge '  at  that  sort  o' 
places,  'cause  when  I'm  busy  hunting  a  spot  to 
set  my  foot  in,  I  can't  see  what  my  head's  com- 
ing to,  and  I  like  to  mined  a  lot  o'  this  rock 
with  it." 

Slowly,  and  with  no  danger  and  less  comfort, 
we  creep  over,  under  and  between  great  massive 
beds  of  the  fine  white  crystalline  rock  until  at 
length  we  enter  the  Ghost  Chamber  where  no 
onyx  has  been  deposited,  but  where  numerous 
mountain  rats  have  evidently  been  at  home  for 
many  years,  if  we  may  judge  from  the  enormous 
quantity  of  pine  needles  with  which  they  have 
carpeted  the  floor.  The  walls  show  small  box 
work  crumbling  to  dust,  and  Ray  climbed  high 
into  the  chimney-like  opening  above  our  heads, 
but  reported  that  it  ended  suddenly  and  had  no 
attractions  to  offer. 

Coming  out,  the  way  was  somewhat  varied, 
but  more  difficult,  as  the  passages  through  the 
onyx  beds  were  more  irregular  and  more  nearly 
closed;  Onyx  Hall  being  only  a  fair  specimen  of 
the  marvelous  results  achieved  here  by  the  per- 
sistent regularity  of  an  uninterrupted  but  slow 
drip,  continued  through  hundreds  of  years. 

It  is  surprising  that  in  all  these  heavy  beds 

♦Colored  driver. 


or  THl     V 


Y 


JC 


or 


UdlO 


Looking  out  of  Write  Onyx  Cave. 

Page  171 


Ozarks  and  Black  Hills.  171 

there  is  no  line  or  tint,  or  slightest  trace  of  color 
anywhere,  while  the  other  Onyx  Cave,  so  near  as 
to  suggest  connection,  has  a  gorgeous  variety  of 
rich  coloring. 

The  view  looking  out  from  the  entrance  of 
White  Onyx  Cave  is  wonderfully  fine,  and 
equally  so  whether  the  rain  falls  or  the  sun 
shines,  a  timely  shower  giving  us  an  opportunity 
to  enjoy  both. 

Before  leaving  the  ranch,  a  promise  was  made 
by  Mr.  Sidey  to  write  a  short  description  of 
the  other  cave,  which  he  kindly  did,  and  it  is 
here  given.     He  says: 

11  In  trailing  a  deer  I  came  across  a  hole  on  top 
of  a  long  divide.  On  throwing  a  rock  down  the 
opening,  I  could  hear  it  rattling  against  the 
walls  until  the  sounds  gradually  died  away,  but 
there  seemed  to  be  no  bottom  to  the  hole,  and  I 
resolved  to  come  again  prepared  and  make 
explorations.  After  the  snow  had  gone  my 
twelve  year-old  son,  Ray,  and  I,  mounted  on  our 
trusty  horses,  Bonnie  and  Dee,  equipped  with 
ropes,  candles,  hammers  and  a  pocketful  of 
matches,  set  out  to  explore  the  new  cave.  It 
was  a  beautiful,  bright  spring  morning,  and 
after  an  hour's  hard  climbing  over  fallen  timber 
and  rocks,  we  reached  the  summit  of  the 
mountain.  A  search  of  half  an  hour  revealed 
the  opening  which  was  barely  large  enough  to 
allow  me  to  pass  through. 


172  Cave  Regions  of  the 

"Fastening  our  ropes  securely  to  a  stout  log 
rolled  across  the  chasm,  we  began  to  pay  it  out, 
and  although  we  did  not  feel  it  touch  bottom,  I 
started  down  to  explore,  the  length  of  the  rope 
at  least.  As  I  descended  I  found  the  opening 
gradually  widened  out  to  eight  or  ten  feet,  a  sort 
of  inverted  funnel-shaped  hole  with  irregular 
wall  but  smooth  and  affording  little  footing.  As 
I  neared  the  bottom  I  saw  the  end  of  the  rope 
was  within  four  feet  of  it,  so  I  landed  on  terra 
firma  and  called  to  Ray,  '  All  right,  come 
down !  ' 

"Lighting  our  candles  we  found  ourselves 
standing  on  a  mound  of  pure  onyx,  and  on  look- 
ing around  could  see  we  were  in  an  immense 
cavern,  whose  walls  sparkled  and  glittered  as  if 
studded  with  diamonds.  Going  down  twenty 
feet  we  found  a  smooth-floored  room  that  meas- 
ured three  hundred  feet  in  length,  twenty  five 
feet  in  width,  and  thirty  feet  in  height.  The 
walls  were  solid  white  onyx  lined  or  banded 
with  pink  and  golden  stripes.  The  ceiling  was 
arched,  and  draped  in  fantastic  shapes,  and  hung 
with  stalactites  innumerable.  The  room  was  so 
large  and  the  drapery  and  festooning  so  delicate 
and  beautiful,  that  we  were  filled  with  awe  and 
could  not  speak  for  a  time. 

"At  last  we  started  to  further  explore  this 
wonderland.  On  going  to  the  farther  end  of  the 
room  we  found  a  passage  leading  on.       This  we 


Ozarks  and  Black  Hills.  178 

followed  for  a  hundred  feet  and  found  the  whole 
cavern  lined  with  onyx  and  crystals  clear  as 
glass.  After  loading  up  with  specimens  we  re- 
traced our  steps  and  on  reaching  the  large  room 
we  had  first  entered  we  heard  a  roaring,  rumb- 
ling noise.  An  awful  noise  truly,  which  filled 
us  with  an  unknown  dread. 

"On  approaching  the  entrance  we  saw  a  stream 
of  water  pouring  down,  completely  filling  the 
hole. 

"For  a  moment  we  felt  like  rats  caught  in  a 
trap,  our  only  way  of  egress  occupied  by  a 
stream  of  water  falling  straight  down  seventy 
feet,  and  then  we  wondered  how  long  it  would 
take  to  fill  up  the  room. 

"Suddenly  the  thought  that  there  might  be  an 
outlet  for  the  water  gave  us  new  hope,  so  we 
went  to  see  and  sure  enough  we  found  a  natural 
water-course  down  through  an  opening  we  had 
overlooked.  We  gathered  up  courage  once  more, 
and  thought  the  best  thing  would  be  something 
to  occupy  our  time.  So  we  set  to  work  getting 
out  more  specimens  and  in  a  couple  of  hours  the 
water  stopped  running  and  we  were  ourselves 
once  more. 

"Ray  grasped  the  rope,  which  was  soaking  wet, 
and  went  up  the  seventy  feet,  hand  over  hand, 
like  a  cat.  I,  being  heavier,  found  it  quite  dif- 
ferent from  going  down.  The  rope  played  whip- 
cracker  with  me  for  some  time  and  before  reach- 


174  Cave  Regions. 

ing  the  top   I   was   covered   with  bruises.     But 
daylight  never  appeared    so    beautiful  before. 

"Here  we  found  the  cause  of  so  much  water. 
A  cloud-burst  had  occurred  on  the  Divide  and  a 
large  portion  of  it  had  poured  down  the  passage 
way  to  the  cave. 

"We  found  our  horses  patiently  waiting  for  us 
and  night  closing  in.  Mounting  we  rode  rapid- 
ly home,  resolved  never  to  venture  into  this  cave 
again  without  leaving  some  one  at  the  entrance 
to  give  warning  in  case  of  danger. 

"John  F.  Sidey." 

The  first  specimen  taken  out  was  given  to  us 
on  our  first  visit  to  the  ranch,  and  is  pure  white 
with  a  stripe  of  brilliant  golden  yellow.  Hav- 
ing been  invited  to  give  a  name  to  this  new  find 
it  seems  quite  proper  after  reading  the  descrip- 
tion of  the  deluge  and  seeing  the  bright  bands 
of  color,  and  considering  the  hopeful  promise  of 
future  possibilities,  to  call  it  The  Rainbow 
Cave. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

CRYSTAL     CAVE. 

South  Dakota  can  boast  of  yet  another  cave 
in  the  Black  Hills  that  was  formed  by  volcanic 
disturbance  of  the  rocks  and  afterwards  decora- 
ted in  a  manner  peculiar  to  itself.  This  is  Crys- 
tal Cave.  It  is  nine  miles  from  Piedmont  in  the 
eastern  edge  of  the  Hills,  and  easily  visited  from 
that  point  by  way  of  the  narrow-gauge  road, 
which  winds  along  the  natural  curves  of  the 
beautiful  Elk  Creek  Canon,  whose  walls  are  said 
to  expose  a  depth  of  almost  a  mile  of  geological 
strata,  although  the  exposure  at  any  one  point 
does  not  exceed  three  hundred  feet. 

The  disappointment  of  not  having  seen  this 
cave  during  the  summer  visit  to  the  Hills  grew 
as  the  weeks  passed,  and  a  request  that  the 
owner  should  send  a  description  was  answered 
with  an  assurance  that  it  was  impossible. 
Therefore,  on  Friday,  November  13th,  1896, 
with  a  small  nephew,  Herbert  A.  Owen,  Jr.,  for 
company,  the  trip  was  undertaken  a  second  time 
to  complete  the  unfinished  mission. 

The  first  glimpse  of  the  Hills  is  at  Edgemont 
in  the  early  morning,  but  the  train  makes  its 
way  to  the   north  through  the   heart  of  the  up- 

175 


176  Cave  Regions  of  the 

lift,  twisting  about  the  curves  of  the  hills  and 
clinging  to  the  sides  of  a  beautiful  canon  whose 
high  walls  give  way  here  and  there  to  fine 
slopes  densely  covered  with  forests  of  pine  and 
spruce.  These  look  black  in  the  distance  and 
suggested  the  name  of  Black  Hills  to  the  In- 
dians, who  always  have  a  reason  for  the  names 
they  give    even  to  their  children. 

There  are  great  tracts  where  fire  has  killed 
part  or  all  of  the  timber  but  left  much  of  it 
standing,  while  in  other  places  nature  has  defied 
the  power  of  fire  and  the  hills  are  re-clothed 
with  young  trees.  A  recent  storm  had  further 
beautified  the  region  with  a  few  inches  of  snow, 
but  as  the  day  advanced  a  chinook  began  to 
blow  so  that  when  Deadwood  was  reached,  soon 
after  noon,  only  the  northern  exposures  retained 
an  appearance  of  winter. 

Deadwood  is  a  most  peculiar  little  city  and 
very  attractive  in  its  peculiarity,  being  crowded 
snugly  into  a  depression  between  a  number  of 
steep  pine-wooded  hills,  which  gives  an  appear- 
ance suggestive  of  a  bird's  nest  securely  located 
among  the  forks  of  a  branching  tree,  and  as  is 
the  case  in  a  nest,  business  is  chiefly  transacted 
at  the  lowest  depth  of  the  enclosure.  As  the 
busy  center  of  a  great  gold-mining  region,  the 
metropolis  of  the  Hills,  and  the  outgrowth  of  an 
exciting  historical  past,  it  claims  and  receives 
interesting    attention.       And    while    the    whole 


*3 


2     !SS 


Ozark s  and  Black  Hills.  177 

Black  Hills  region  is  still  distinctly  a  man's 
country,  it  is  called  woman's  paradise,  and 
surely  nowhere  else  are  the  daughters  of  Eve 
received  with  a  more  gracious  courtesy  or  sur- 
rounded by  an  equally  unobtrusive  protecting 
care. 

The  streets  leading  up  to  the  residences  lack 
very  little  of  standing  on  end,  and  the  houses 
appear  to  have  been  hung  in  place  by  means  of 
hooks  and  wire  cord  like  pictures  on  a  wall. 
The  smelter  has  no  reception  day  but  admits 
visitors  as  if  their  pleasure  were  a  guarantee  of 
profit. 

The  finest  scenery  in  the  Hills  is  said  to  be 
that  of  the  Spearfish  Canon,  north  of  Deadwood, 
and  the  finest  of  that  at  the  Falls,  but  this  may 
be  doubtful  as  other  points  are  very  beautiful, 
especially  where  the  Burlington  &  Missouri 
Road  requires  a  distance  of  seven  miles  to  climb 
the  canon  wall. 

Piedmont  being  the  nearest  town  to  Crystal 
Cave,  we  took  the  early  evening  train  on  the  Elk 
Horn  Road  and  soon  were  located,  and  shocked 
to  learn  that  the  proprietor  of  the  cave  had 
started  several  days  before  to  drive  to  Wind 
Cave  for  specimens.  The  cave  was  closed  and 
no  one  there.  The  trip  had  been  taken  for  the 
one  purpose  of  exploring  Crystal  Cave,  and  a 
letter  sent  in  advance  to  announce  our  coming, 


178  Cave  Regions  of  the 

but  the  train  carrying  it  was  an  hour  late  so  he 
drove  off  without  the  mail. 

There  seemed  at  first  nothing  to  be  done  but 
take  the  next  returning  train,  which,  under  the 
circumstances,  was  objectionable.  A  night's 
rest  and  a  telegram  that  had  to  be  sent  twelve 
miles  by  special  messenger,  improved  the  situa- 
tion. The  proprietor  was  unavoidably  detained 
at  Wind  Cave,  but  secured  a  reliable  guide,  ex- 
pressed me  the  cave  keys,  and  has  since  married 
the  "  specimen  "  he  had  gone  in  quest  of.  May 
great  happiness  dwell  at  the  cave  many  years ! 

The  morning  of  the  third  day  after  our  arrival 
found  arrangements  all  complete,  and  soon  after 
the  train  left  Piedmont  it  entered  Elk  Creek 
Canon,  which  is  always  beautiful,  but  on  that 
morning  was  exceptionally  so  on  account  of  a 
sudden  change  in  the  weather  having  covered 
every  visible  portion  of  the  passing  landscape 
with  heavy  frost.  The  trees  on  distant  hills  that 
ordinarily  are  black,  were,  for  once,  all  softly 
white,  and  when  the  tall  pines  in  the  canon  were 
shaken  by  a  breeze,  they  cast  a  shower  of  flakes 
like  snow. 

Here  the  canon  walls  are  in  Carboniferous 
Limestone  with  a  pleasing  variety  of  color  in  the 
strata,  and  the  erosion-carving  not  overdone, 
the  most  notable  piece  being  the  Knife-blade. 
This,  at  first  view,  appears  to  be  a  high,  round 
tower,  but  the  train  following  the  curve,  reveals 


The  Knife-Blade. 

Page  178. 


Ozarks  and  Black  Hills.  179 

the  fact  that  it  is  not  a  tower,  but  a  thin,  curved 
knife-blade.  The  sun  just  for  one  instant  shone 
through  a  rift  in  the  clouds,  and  added  special 
charm  to  the  scene. 

A  short  distance  beyond  is  Crystal  Cave 
station,  where  the  guide  was  waiting  to  take  us 
in  charge.  He  is  an  intelligent  young  man  who 
has  served  an  enlistment  term  in  the  army,  is 
recently  married,  very  obliging,  and  proud  of 
being  trustworthy. 

The  scenery  here  is  most  beautiful  as  well  as 
grand.  The  canon  makes  a  sharp  turn  toward 
the  south,  and  on  the  north  opens  out  into 
another  canon  of  even  greater  beauty  and  higher 
walls,  the  perpendicular  being  three  hundred 
feet  in  places.  Crystal  Cave  is  in  the  hill  em- 
braced by  the  junction  curve.  The  natural 
entrance  is  more  than  two  hundred  feet  above 
the  canon  bed  and  was  naturally  approached 
from  above.  A  short  walk  up  the  north  canon, 
whose  name  has  unfortunately  slipped  away,  was 
over  ice  and  snow  the  chinook  had  failed  to 
reach,  and  brought  us  to  a  long  stairway  against 
the  wall,  which  affords  a  more  direct  approach 
than  nature  gave  and  is  a  fair  test  of  physical 
perfection. 

Finally  a  resting  place  is  reached  where  the 
grandeur  of  the  view  can  be  enjoyed  ;  and  then 
a  shorter  stairway  completes  the  ascent  of  the 
wall,  but  not  of  the  hill,  so  there  is  still  a  con- 


180  Cave  Regions  of  the 

siderable  upward  walk  through  the  forest  of  tall 
pines  all  carpeted  with  brilliant  mats  of  kinni- 
kinic  with  its  shining  leaves,  glowing  in  shades 
of  green  and  red,  trying  to  rival  the  bright  scar- 
let berries.  The  kinnikinic  here  resembles  the 
wintergreen  of  the  east,  while  in  the  mountains 
in  Colorado  it  grows  in  the  form  of  a  shrub  two 
to  three  feet  in  height,  but  with  no  variation  in 
the  leaf  or  berry. 

At  last  perserverance  is  rewarded  with  a  view 
of  the  cave  buildings  and  the  summit  of  the  hill 
rising  yet  higher  beyond,  and  tall,  straight  pines 
swaying  in  the  rising  wind  over  all. 

One  of  the  two  houses  was  entered  and  prep- 
arations quickly  made  for  entering  the  cave,  the 
artificial  tunnel  entrance  being  only  a  little  dis- 
tance further  on. 

The  door  was  unlocked,  candle-sticks  taken 
from  a  shelf  within,  candles  from  the  guide's 
supply  lighted,  and  we  went  forward  at  last, 
into  Costal  Cave.  At  the  end  of  the  new 
tunnel,  a  second  door  was  passed  through,  which 
is  locked  on  the  inside  during  the  visiting  sea- 
son by  the  last  guide  to  enter,  in  order  that  no 
chance  late  arrival  may  enter  alone  and  be  lost. 

The  first  room  is  a  small  one  at  the  junction 
of  the  natural  and  artificial  entrances,  from 
which  we  go  upstairs  to  the  Resting  Room,  in 
the  highest  level  of  the  cave,  and  perfectly  dry 
but  otherwise   of  no    special    interest.     After   a 


Ozarks  and  Black  Hills.  181 

short  rest  here  we  went  down  stairs  at  the  side 
opposite  that  on  which  we  entered,  into  a  pas- 
sage leading  to  the  cave's  first  beauty,  the  Red 
Room.  As  the  name  indicates,  the  walls  are 
vividly  colored  and  represent  the  uncertain  line 
which  separates  the  Carboniferous  strata  from 
the  Triassic  rocks.  The  color  is  handsomely 
brought  out  here  in  contrast  with  masses  of 
calcite  crystal,  so  as  to  present  by  the  combina- 
tion a  charmingly  beautiful  room,  from  which 
we  retired,  feet  first,  down  a  "  squeeze  "  to  the 
Bridal  Chamber,  where  we  found  ourselves 
perched  on  an  irregular  narrow  ledge,  high 
up  on  the  wall,  and  cherishing  a  private  convic- 
tion that  exploration  had  met  a  checkmate;  but 
the  guide  reached  the  floor  and  my  nephew, 
Herbert,  scrambled  down  with  as  much  ease  as 
the  chipmunk  he  had  chased  to  the  house  top  a 
while  before ;  so  a  little  application  settled  the 
difficulty  and  re-united  the  party.  The  room  is 
an  artistic  study  in  red,  and  the  only  reason  for 
its  being  called  the  Bridal  Chamber  is  that  the 
way  out  is  decidedly  more  rough  and  difficult 
than  that  by  which  the  entrance  is  effected;  this, 
however,  is  an  observation  not  based  on  official 
information. 

Off  to  one  side  of  this  room  is  Lost  Man's 
Paradise,  also  in  red  and  crystal,  named  in 
honor  of  the  timely  rescue  of  one  who  had  faced 
the  possibility  of  becoming  a  lost  soul. 


182  Cave  Regions  of  the 

Another  Fat  Man's  Misery,  on  a  lower  level, 
leads  from  the  Bridal  Chamber  to  the  Big  Dome, 
a  large  room  with  a  fine  dome-shaped  ceiling 
from  which  heavy  masses  of  crystals  have  fallen 
to  the  floor ;  and  down  a  steep  incline  from  here 
is  Reef  Rock,  an  immense  fallen  rock  with  box 
work  on  the  under  side,  which  at  one  time 
served  to  ornament  the  ceiling;  and  now  this 
rock  marks  the  beginning  of  Poverty  Flat,  a 
broad,  low  passage  of  great  extent,  that  has 
been  robbed  of  all  its  wonderful  treasure  of 
crystal  and  ends  in  a  steep,  rough  declivity 
named  Bunker  Hill  by  the  guides  who  dreaded 
to  mount  it  when  going  out  loaded  with  speci- 
mens. At  the  foot  of  the  Hill  is  a  bowlder  of 
enormous  size  and  with  a  pointed  top,  known  as 
Pyramid  Rock  and  giving  the  same  name  to  the 
large  room  in  which  it  stands. 

Every  portion  of  Crystal  Cave  has  at  one  time 
been  heavily  crusted  with  calcite  crystals, 
mainly  of  the  dog-tooth  variety,  and  any  barren 
places  are  so  either  because  the  surface  has  been 
removed  for  specimens,  or  thrown  down  by  the 
violence  of  an  earthquake.  But  where  the 
latter  has  been  the  cause  of  removal,  the  crystals 
have  in  most  cases  been  renewed,  which  is 
amply  evidenced  by  the  fallen  masses  being 
crystallized  on  all  sides;  and  these  as  well  as 
most  of  the  walls,  are  not  covered  thinly  with 
one    crust,  but  layer  has  been    added    to    layer 


Ozarks  and  Black  Hills.  188 

until  the  thickness  is  four  to  ten  inches  and 
often  more.  The  ceilings  that  have  been 
denuded  by  nature's  forces  during  the  same 
early  period  when  water  filled  the  cave  were 
also  renewed. 

From  the  Pyramid  Room  a  narrow  fissure 
forms  a  passage  to  the  Cactus  Chamber,  where 
there  is  a  marvelous  floor  on  which  the  crystals 
are  in  bunches  like  cacti,  and  the  beautiful 
ceiling  is  the  finest  and  most  irregular  unbroken 
mass  of  crystal  yet  seen. 

Passing  through  a  round  hole  known  as  the 
Needle's  Eye,  we  enter  Statuary  Hall,  where 
the  latest  inrush  of  water  has  eroded  the  sharp 
points  from  the  crystals,  leaving  only  smooth 
surfaces,  and  at  the  same  time  done  much  cu- 
rious carving,  the  most  conspicuous  pieces  of 
this  work  being  a  bear  and  the  heads  of  an 
Indian  and  his  baby. 

Out  from  the  Hall  are  two  important  routes, 
one  down  the  steep  incline  of  Beaver's  Slide  to 
The  Catacombs,  and  another,  which  we  followed 
first,  is  through  Rocky  Run,  a  rough  and  rocky 
pass,  to  a  large  and  handsomely  crystallized 
chamber  called  the  I.  X.  L.  Room,  on  account  of 
those  three  letters,  over  twelve  inches  in  height, 
being  distinctly  and  conspicuously  worked  in 
crystal  on  a  magnificent  piece  of  box  work  that 
would  weigh  nearly  half  a  ton,  for  which  an  offer 
of  five  hundred  dollars  is  said  to  have  been  refused. 


184  Cave  Regions  of  the 

The  next  chamber  beyond  is  Tilotson  Hall, 
very  large  and  extremely  rough,  and  named  in 
honor  of  a  teacher  from  the  Normal  School,  who 
delivered  an  address  here  that  gave  much  pleas- 
ure to  both  visitors  and  guides. 

The  way  to  farther  advance  is  now  more 
difficult  and  through  a  jagged  crevice  of  threat- 
ening appearance,  but  the  trip  is  made  in  safety 
and  with  comparative  ease,  and  brings  us  into 
Notre  Dame,  one  of  the  largest  chambers  in  the 
cave  and  perhaps  the  finest,  although  where 
so  much  is  fine  that  may  be  uncertain.  The 
display  of  box  work  and  crystal  is  sufficiently 
gorgeous  to  do  honor  to  the  famous  old  cathe- 
dral of  France,  the  ceiling  especially  being  a 
masterpiece  of  the  builder's  and  decorator's 
arts;  but  the  grandest  portion,  which  a  visitor 
recently  returned  from  foreign  travel  called  The 
Russian  Castle,  on  account  of  the  magnificence 
of  the  large  box  work  and  pearly  crystal  masses, 
should  rather  be  known  as  the  great  cathedral's 
crowning  glory,  The  Altar. 

Another  large  room,  the  handsome  Council 
Chamber,  is  entered  just  as  that  Altar  of  pearl 
is  lost  to  view ;  and  from  there  an  up-hill  trip  is 
taken  through  a  narrow  crevice  to  Whale  Flat, 
which  is  the  natural  history  room,  with  a  large 
whale  as  the  show  specimen. 

Going  out  from  here  we  enter  another  crevice 
which  serves    as  a  steep    stairway  descending  to 


The  Bridal  Veil. 
Page  187. 


Ozarks  and  Black  Hills.  185 

a  lower  level,  and  measures  from  top  to  bottom 
one  hundred  and  eighteen  feet.  This  is  called 
Rip  Van  Winkle's  Stairway,  and  although  mere- 
ly a  high  and  crooked  crack  in  the  rock,  is  very 
beautiful  because  heavily  coated  with  crystal, 
the  effect  being  especially  striking  at  the  top 
where  the  crystal  is  partly  worn  away  and  leaves 
exposed  patches  of  red  rock. 

At  the  foot  of  the  Stairway  is  the  first  room 
containing  water,  and  is  called  the  Gypsy  Camp. 
It  is  the  most  charming  chamber  yet  visited, 
with  not  the  smallest  spot  of  plain  or  common 
rock  visible.  The  ceiling,  walls,  floor,  and 
groups  of  fallen  rocks,  are  all  unbroken  masses 
of  pearly  calcite  in  crystals  of  varied  sizes,  with 
here  and  there  a  patch  coated  over  with  pure 
white  carbonate  of  lime,  or  supporting  a  bunch 
of  fragile  egg-shell,  which  is  a  thin,  hollow 
crust  of  lime  carbonate,  almost  invariably  having 
the  pointed  form  of  the  dog-tooth  spar.  And 
there  are  also  beautiful  mats  and  banks  of  dainty 
white  carbonate  flowers.  While  waiting  here 
for  the  guide  to  go  in  quest  of  the  lunch  we  had 
carelessly  left  behind,  the  time  was  utilized  in 
measuring  the  room,  which  is  a  small  one. 
The  size  of  the  cave  and  our  limited  time  for 
seeing  it,  prevented  much-desired  measurements 
from  being  taken  in  all  parts  of  the  cave. 

This  room  was  found  to  be  forty-eight  feet 
long,  the  irregular  width  varied   from   fourteen 


186  Cave  Regions  of  the 

to  thirty  feet  and  the  height  from  four  and  one- 
half  to  ten  feet.  The  crystal  water  basin  is 
especially  beautiful  and  the  water  so  clear  that 
we  stood  looking  into  it  with  disappointment, 
being  thirsty  and  thinking  it  dry,  until  the 
guide  laughingly  dipped  and  offered  a  cupful. 
The  basin  is  the  segment  of  a  circle  rounding 
beneath  a  massive,  overhanging  crystal  ledge  of 
wonderful  beauty,  and  is  nine  feet  long  by  two 
in  width.  This  room  and  the  Stairway  into  it 
are  alone  worthy  of  a  visit,  but  there  is  much 
that  is  finer  still. 

Out  of  Gypsy  Camp  by  way  of  Gunny  Sack 
Crawl,  so  named  by  the  workmen  who  spread 
gunny  sacks  to  relieve  the  torture  of  crawling 
over  the  beautiful  floor  of  sharp  crystals,  we 
enter  the  first  chamber,  where  active  operation 
is  still  maintained  and  certain  branches  of  the 
great  decorative  industry  of  the  cave  may  be 
carefully  studied.  This  operative  chamber, 
which  is  unnamed,  would  no  doubt  be  called  a 
factory  in  the  east,  but  in  its  own  locality 
would  more  likely  be  referred  to  as  The  Works. 

The  next  chamber  entered  is  Crystal  Flat, 
whose  floor  is  completely  covered  with  immense 
crystal  blocks,  and  the  wonderful  crystal  ceiling 
is  exceedingly  fine.  But  time  being  limited  we 
must  pass  on  into  the  Lake  Room,  where  is  Crys- 
tal Lake,  the  largest  body  of  water  in  the  cave. 
It  is  about  thirty  feet  long  by  fifteen  wide  and 


Ozarks  and  Black  Hills.  187 

its  greatest  depth  is  said  to  be  ten  feet.  The 
water  is  cold  and  clear,  and  the  gold  fish  intro- 
duced as  an  experiment  three  years  ago  are 
said  to  have  grown  rapidly  but  not  yet  turned 
white,  and  are  not  known  to  have  become 
blind. 

At  some  little  distance  from  Crystal  Lake, 
and  not  within  the  same  range  of  vision, 
although  in  the  same  room,  is  Dry  Lake,  which 
to  the  surprise  of  the  guide  we  found  to  be  not 
dry,  but  full  of  limpid  water  through  which  we 
could  distinctly  see  the  delicate  clusters  of  crys- 
tals it  is  depositing.  They  are  of  a  pale  honey 
yellow  and  are  called  Gum-drops  on  account  of 
the  resemblance   to  that  variety  of  confection. 

The  name  Dry  Lake  was  given  because  in 
blasting  out  a  passage  a  misdirected  shot  went 
through  the  bottom  of  the  Lake,  which  in  con- 
sequence was  soon  drained ;  but  the  heavily 
charged  water  has  sealed  up  the  unfortunate 
break,  and  resumed  its  interrupted  work.  The 
ceiling  drops  to  a  height  of  little  more  than 
three  feet  directly  above  the  Lake  margin,  and  is 
a  beautiful  crystal  mass,  which  at  a  little  dis- 
tance down  the  sloping  floor  appears  as  the 
background  for  a  fine  piece  of  cave  statuary 
called  The  Bridal  Veil,  and  formed  of  cream- 
tinted  dripstone.  Not  a  great  deal  of  imagina- 
tion is  required  to  see  a  slender  girlish  figure 
completely  enveloped  in   the   flowing  folds  of  a 


188 


Cave   Regions  of  the 


wedding  veil  that  falls  lightly  about  her  feet. 
The  figure  itself  is  three  feet  ten  inches  in  height 
and  stands  on  an  almost  flat  circular  base  of  the 
same  material,  that  measures  nine  inches  in 
depth  and  two  feet  eight  inches  in  diameter. 
At  times  the  water  rises  sufficiently  to  cover 
the  base,  in  proof  of  which  it  left  a  fringe-like 
border  of  small  sharp  crystals,  such  as  could  be 
formed  only  beneath  the  water's  surface.  Most 
of  this  border  has,  unfortunately,  been  chiseled 
off  for  specimens,  but  will  be  renewed  in  time 
if  left  undisturbed;  and  that  condition  can 
easily  be  secured  with  a  few  feet  of  wire 
netting. 

To  one  side  of  this  room  is  a  most  daintily 
beautiful  alcove  so  profusely  decorated  with 
fragile  forms  of  dripstone  that  a  passage 
through  it  without  causing  damage  is  extremely 
difficult.  This  alcove  is  about  twenty-five  feet 
in  either  direction,  with  a  sloping  iloor  almost 
covered  with  stalagmitic  growths  above  the  earlier 
deposit  of  sharp  crystals,  and  many  of  these 
rise  in  slender  columns  to  the  glass-like  ceiling, 
which  varies  in  height  from  three  to  six  feet  and 
is  thickly  studded  with  small  stalactites  of  both 
varieties — the  pointed,  solid  form,  and  those-  of 
uniform  size,  which  are  al\va}Ts  hollow  like  a 
pipe  stem.  The  central  ornament  is  the  Chimes, 
a  musical  group  of  stalactites  which  is  scare 
more   beautiful    than    Cleopatra's   Needle,    at    n 


The  Chimes. 

Page  188. 


The  Needle. 

l'age  188. 


q        or 


Ozarks  and  Black  Hills.  189 

distance  of  a  few  feet  to  one  side,  a  transparent 
column  four  feet  in  height  and  having  an  aver- 
age circumference  of  seventeen  inches. 

The  Abode  of  the  Fairies  is  a  similar,  though 
smaller  room,  with  The  Tower  of  Babel  for  a 
handsome  show-piece.  While  this  portion  of 
the  cave  is  extremely  attractive,  the  measure- 
ments given  show  that  in  comparison  with  caves 
of  other  states  the  drip  deposit  here  is  too  small 
to  be  reckoned  an  important  feature  in  itself, 
but  in  conjunction  with  the  miles  of  calc-spar 
that  give  the  cave  a  character  distinctly  its  own, 
it  well  repays  all  attention. 

Leaving  Lake  Room  we  enter  a  newly  opened, 
long,  dry  passage  to  Slab  Room,  where  a  com- 
paratively recent  earthquake  has  shaken  down 
the  ornamental  ceiling  and  spread  it  in  great 
slabs  over  the  floor;  and  having  since  remained 
perfectly  dry  it  has  the  appearance  of  being  the 
work  of  yesterday.  This  room  is  remembered 
as  the  one  in  which  a  party  of  workers  were 
lost,  and  one  of  their  number  gave  a  severe  ner- 
vous shock  to  the  junior  proprietor  by  suggest- 
ing that  as  he  was  acting  as  guide  and  unable  to 
lead  them  out,  it  was  only  right  that  he  should 
be  the  first  victim  to  satisfy  their  hunger.  A 
rescuing  party  with  extinguished  candles  was 
listening  behind  a  rock  to  the  blood-curdiing 
speech,  and  came  forward  to  restore  cheerfulness. 

A  long,  irregular,  frosty  looking  crevice  called 


190  Cave  Regions  of  the 

Jack  Frost  Streak,  conducts  us  from  Slab  Room 
and  ends  at  Mold  Ladder,  on  which  we  pause  to 
admire  a  wonderful  growth  of  snow-white  cave 
vegetation,  before  ascending  into  Santa  Claus' 
Pass,  the  longest  passage  in  the  cave.  It  is  a 
rough  crevice  named  from  the  fact  of  being  dis- 
covered on  Christmas  Eve,  and  ends  at  the 
Government  Room  on  the  main  tourist  route 
where  a  U.  S.  pack  saddle  and  apparently  port- 
able bath  tub  are  conspicuous. 

Next  beyond  is  a  very  large  room  named  New 
Zealand,  on  account  or  its  icy  appearance  and 
the  undisputed  possession  of  a  seal.  This  room 
in  turn  opens  into  Mold  Chamber,  where  an  old 
board  platform,  formerly  used  for  the  display 
of  specimens,  has  fostered  the  most  marvelously 
beautiful  growth  of  mold:  it  hangs  in  ropes  five 
and  six  feet  long,  with  tasseled  ends,  and  in 
broad,  looped  draperies;  but  is  most  beautiful 
where  it  has  taken  possession  of  the  rocks  and 
spreads  out  on  the  flat  surface  like  large  open 
fans,  with  deep,  soft  feather  borders. 

Having  been  in  the  cave  eight  hours,  we  now 
followed  the  outward  passage  from  Mold  Cham- 
ber and  soon  reached  an  open  trap-door  where  the 
guide  suggested  to  Herbert  that  he  would  be 
afraid  to  go  down  alone  and  allow  him  to  close 
the  door ;  but  the  child  surprised  him  by  quietly 
stepping  down  and  then  asking  why  he  wished 


Ozarks  and  Black  Hills.  191 

it,  only  to  be  told  "  because  we  are  coming  too.'1 
Which  we  did  and  found  ourselves  in  the  main 
entrance  passage,  and  in  due  time  returned  to 
the  outer  world  where  a  terrific  wind  was  roar- 
ing through  the  tall  pines  and  the  early  winter 
evening  had  already  closed  in  dark. 

The  guide  locked  the  cave,  walked  with  us  to 
the  house  where  he  lighted  a  lamp  and  left  us  to 
prepare  for  the  return  to  town;  but  the  lamp, 
belonging  to  a  bachelor,  was  empty,  so  we  made 
our  preparations  in  imitation  of  the  blind.  On 
the  guide's  return  he  lighted  a  candle,  but  sug- 
gested that  twenty  minutes  were  generally 
allowed  for  reaching  the  station. 

The  house  was  accordingly  closed  and  as  we 
walked  down  the  long,  curving  slope  to  the 
stairway,  he  told  of  a  new  and  unknown  bob- 
tailed  wolf  that  has  recently  made  its  first 
appearance  among  the  hills  in  considerable 
numbers  and  to  the  terror  of  stock.  It  attacks 
and  bites  horses  or  cattle,  and  after  waiting  for 
the  fatal  poison  inflicted  to  take  effect,  falls  to 
and  eats  the  victim. 

The  uncovered  platform  which  serves  as  a 
station  being  reached  a  few  minutes  before  the 
train  arrived,  I  expressed  an  unwillingness 
to  detain  our  guide  longer  on  account  of  his 
having  a  walk  of  four  and  a  half  miles  to  his 
home;  but  he  declined   to  consider  the   subject; 


192  Cave  Regions. 

saying  he  had  been  directed  not  to  leave  us  until 
we  were  taken  safely  on  the  train,  which  carne 
sweeping  round  the  curve  on  time  and  stopped 
for  us. 


or 
CALIFOHgi 


^il|^^HH^HH 

■B.  . 

*'  •  ^; 

HP1.,    y                           '^l 

v  XjHF       •' 

3 

Tower  of  Babel. 

Page  189. 


CHAPTER    XV. 

CRYSTAL    CAVE    CONCLUDED. 

According  to  agreement  the  guide  again  met 
us  at  the  station  on  the  following  morning,  for 
another  day  in  the  cave,  which  we  entered  with 
no  unnecessary  loss  of  time,  and  hurrying 
through  the  main  entrance  passage,  Government 
Room  and  Statuary  Hall,  went  down  Beaver  Slide, 
which,  on  the  previous  day,  we  had  passed  to  enter 
Rocky  Run.  Our  descent  into  the  crevice  took 
us  past  those  portions  known  as  Suspension 
Bridge  and  Rebecca's  Well,  and  over  some  very 
"  rough  country  "  to  the  most  wonderful  parts 
of  the  cave.  Numerous  passages  open  out  in 
various  directions;  one  to  rooms  of  frost  work 
of  great  beauty ;  another  to  the  Ribbon  Room 
where  the  drip  deposits  on  the  walls  are  in  rib- 
bon-like stripes  of  red,  yellow,  and  white,  while 
others  yet  are  ways  to  the  Catacombs. 
And  it  is  the  Catacombs  we  particularly 
wish  to  see,  as  they  most  perfectly  repre- 
sent the  individual  character  of  the  cave 
and  have,  as  yet,  received  no  injury  from  either 
time  or  man ;  but  is  a  region  as  difficult  to  travel 
as  the  way  of  the  transgressor,   and  many  miles 

193 


194  Cave  Regions  of  the 

can  be  traversed  with  no  prospect  of  coming  to 
the  end.  But  where  locomotion  is  so  slow  and 
painful,  the  owner  of  a  pedometer  would  find 
that  instrument  a  discouraging  companion  and 
soon  learn  better  than  to  consult  its  record  pub- 
licly. 

The  Catacombs  are  a  series  of  connected  fis- 
sures and  small  crevices  in  which  every  inch 
of  exposed  surface  is  covered  with  clear,  trans- 
lucent, almost  transparent,  calcite  crystals, 
neither  coated  with  lime  nor  stained  with  clay ; 
nor  even  is  the  pearly  lustre  dimmed  with  the 
slightest  trace  of  dust.  The  crystals  are  very 
sharp  and  of  all  sizes,  ranging  from  half  an  inch 
to  three  and  a  half  inches  in  length,  the  larger 
sizes  being  conspicuously  abundant.  The  en- 
tire region  is  an  enormously  large,  perfectly 
formed,  and  undamaged  geode.  In  reality,  the 
whole  cave  is  a  great  cluster  of  connected  ge- 
odes,  and  a  similar  work  probably  does  not  ex- 
ist, but  if  it  does,  has  never  been  discovered. 
The  fissures  from  which  it  is  formed  were 
opened  by  volcanic  violence  and  then  enlarged, 
and  afterwards  decorated  by  the  varied  power 
of  water,  in  action  or  repose. 

When  the  storms  toward  the  close  of  the  Ter- 
tiary period  suddenly  overwhelmed  with  floods 
the  dense  growth  of  tropical  vegetation  and 
multitudinous  animal  life  in  the  Northwest, 
the  waters    necessarily  became  heavily  charged 


Ozarks  and  Black  Hills.  195 

with  the  naturally  resulting  carbonic  acid  gas, 
and  this,  acting  on  the  limestone  rocks,  would 
decompose  them,  leaving  a  '  residual  clay  and 
taking  the  chief  portions  of  the  mineral  com- 
ponents in  solution,  to  be  afterwards  deposited 
according  to  circumstances  and  conditions;  and 
these  are  indicated  by  the  various  results  found 
in  Wind  Cave,  Crystal  Cave,  the  Onyx  Caves  and 
the  Bad  Lands.  The  latter  being  previous  to  that 
time  by  no  meanskibad,"  but  richly  luxuriant  in 
tropical  vegetation,  which  gave  shelter  from  the 
heat  to  great  numbers  of  curious  animals. 

Some  approximate  idea  of  the  extreme  age  of 
these  caves  may  be  gained  from  the  fact  that 
bones  of  a  three-toed  horse  have  been  discov- 
ered in  a  chamber  of  Crystal  Cave  that  must 
be  practically  unchanged  since  the  remains  were 
carried  in  from  the  outside,  as  otherwise  they 
would  have  been  buried  beneath  the  fallen 
masses  of  crystal  covered  rock  with  which  the 
entire  floor  is  cumbered.  And  yet  this  room  is 
so  remote  from  any  present  connection  with  the 
outer  world  that  it  is  impossible  for  their  intro- 
duction to  have  taken  place  in  recent  times. 

In  the  beautiful  Catacombs  progress  is  as 
slow  as  in  a  cactus  thicket  or  a  blackberry  patch. 
The  crevices  lack  none  of  the  usual  crevice  ir- 
regularities; high  places  must  be  mounted  or 
descended,  chasms  crossed  and  narrow  pas- 
sages    crawled  through,     while    extra    caution 


196  Cave   Regions  of  the 

must  be  exercised  to  avoid  striking  the  head  or 
making  a  misstep  that  might  result  in  a  fall. 
The  hands  are  in  constant  use  and  soon  become 
so  sensitive  that  holding  a  soft  handkerchief 
gives  infinite  relief;  but  the  worst  experience  is 
the  "  crawls"  where  only  the  s>les  of  the  feet, 
being  temporarily  turned  up,  seem  safe  from  the 
savage  treatment  of  the  sharp  calcite  dog-teeth. 
The  worst  crawl  encountered  was  a  small  one 
having  a  downward  slope  with  a  jump-off  at  the 
end  which  necessitated  its  being  taken  feet  first. 
Fortunately  it  was  short.  But  in  no  place  do 
the  difficulties  outweigh  the  pleasure  of  behold- 
ing scenes  of  such  beauty,  or  suggest  regret  for 
the  time,  torn  garments,  and  personal  exertion 
required  for  its  enjoyment. 

In  many  portions  of  the  cave  the  surface 
layer  of  crystals  has  had  the  points  worn  away 
by  the  action  of  water,  later  than  that  in  which 
they  were  formed;  but  in  the  Catacombs  and 
other  extensive  regions  as  well,  the  finished 
work  of  crystallization  is  preserved  in  an  abso- 
lutely perfect  condition.  And  everywhere  the 
largest  crystals  are  on  the  under  side  of  a  pro- 
jection or  the  roof  of  a  cavity. 

As  the  day  was  passing  far  too  rapidly  and 
many  points  of  special  interest  yet  remained 
unseen,  we  turned  with  reluctance  from  the 
beauty  and  relief  from  the  hardships  of  explo- 
ration  in  the  Catacombs,    and    made  our    way 


Ozarks  and  Black  Hills.  197 

over  a  crevice  into  Santa  Claus'  Pass,  which  was 
traversed  for  a  considerable  distance  and  then 
abandoned  for  a  low  crawl  terminating  at  the  Sen- 
ate Chamber.  This  is  a  large  room  extending 
to  Poverty  Flat,  and  is  brilliantly  red  and 
purely  white,  most  of  the  crystal  presenting  a 
smooth  surface.  Under  the  Senate  Chamber 
there  is  said  to  be  some  fine  box  work  which  we 
had  no  time  to  visit.  The  name  of  this  chamber 
was  given  by  a  visiting  party  composed  of 
members  of  both  houses  of  Congress.  A  smaller 
room,  which  is  really  an  extension  of  the  Senate 
Chamber,  has  handsome  walls  of  white  and  red 
box  work  on  account  of  which  the  same  dis- 
tinguished party  called  it  the  Senate  Post-office. 

From  here  a  difficult  crawl,  through  red  rock, 
well-worn  by  the  action  of  water,  leads  to  the 
Starr  Chamber,  another  large  room  in  white  and 
red,  and  named  by  Senator  Starr  of  South  Da- 
kota. 

Opening  out  from  the  last  room  is  a  curious, 
dangerous  looking,  narrow,  crevice-chamber 
known  as  Suicide  Room  on  account  of  the  threat- 
ening appearance  of  over-hanging  rocks,  some 
of  which  have  at  times  fallen  in  great  masses 
of  various  sizes  to  form  an  irregular  floor;  and 
a  descent  of  this  is  necessary  in  order  to  reach 
a  short  and  extremely  rough  crawl,  beautifully 
and  painfully  decorated  with  sharp  crystals 
above  and  below   and   on  the  sides.     From    this 


198  Cave  Regions  of  the 

we  emerge  into  Rainy  Chamber,  an  elliptical 
room  not  less  than  two  hundred  feet  long  by 
one  hundred  feet  wide,  with  a  tent-like  ceiling 
rising  high  in  the  center  and  sloping  down  to 
meet  the  floor,  which  also  slopes  irregularly 
toward  a  deep  central  depression,  giving  the 
room  a  greater  height  than  any  other  visited. 
The  high  points  are  generally  seen  in  the  nar- 
row crevices,  while  the  rooms  of  generous 
length  and  breadth  are  usually  low,  many  of 
the  largest  having  an  average  of  five  feet  or 
even  less. 

Although  there  is  frequent  intersection  of 
crevices,  and  each  chamber  has  passages  leading 
out  on  every  side,  the  general  direction  of  the 
cave  is  said  to  be  northwest-southeast. 

Rainy  Chamber  is  named  from  the  fact  that 
during  the  early  months  of  summer  water  falls 
constantly  in  the  form  of  a  light  shower;  but  it 
drips  at  all  times,  and  in  consequence  there  is  an 
opportunity  to  study  the  active  process  of  form- 
ation of  one  of  the  deposits  which  is  very 
abundant  in  Wind  Cave  and  considered  the 
most  perplexing.  This  is  the  pop-corn,  and  the 
theories  of  its  origin  have  been  steadily  rejected 
at  Wind  Cave  because  of  a  doubt  being  enter- 
tained as  to  whether  it  has  been  deposited  under 
water  or  by  drippings.  Herein  Rainy  Chamber 
it  is  fully  explained.  Near  the  center  of  the 
room  the  fallen  masses  are  heavily   crystallized, 


Ozarks  and  Black  Hills.  190 

much  of  the  groundwork  being  fine  box  work 
and  the  crystals  in  perfect  condition.  On  these 
crystals  the  pop-corn  is  being  formed,  and 
specimens  can  be  seen  in  all  stages  of  develop- 
ment, from  the  beginning  to  an  approximate 
degree  of  finish ;  and  whatever  the  position  it 
occupies  on  the  receiving  surface,  either  on  top, 
underneath,  or  on  a  side  exposure,  it  always 
maintains  the  same  relative  position  as  growing 
plants  on  the  mundane  sphere.  The  water  fall- 
ing on  the  upper  surface  in  scattering  drops 
forms  myriads  of  minute  stalagmites;  on  side 
positions  the  falling  drop  first  strikes  the  point 
exposed  to  its  line  of  descent  and  then  spreads. 
The  scant  moisture  slowly  makes  its  way  down 
sloping  sides  and  shelving  edges,  leaving  on  each 
small  irregularity  a  tiny  portion  of  its  volume, 
to  deposit  an  infinitely  small  charge  of  solid 
substance,  and  the  balance  finally  hangs  in 
moisture  less  than  drops  on  the  growing  grains 
of  the  under  surface. 

Pop-corn,  therefore,  is  the  globular  aragonite 
of  the  stalagmitic  variety.  A  small  specimen 
from  Rainy  Chamber,  placed  beside  one  of 
the  same  color  from  Wind  Cave,  shows  them  to 
be  absolutely  alike. 

Rainy  Chamber  is  the  room  in  which  the  bones 
of  the  three-toed  horse,  already  referred  to, 
were  found,  but  their  presence  has  not  yet  been 
explained ;    therefore   the   case  is   open  to  con- 


200  Cave  Regions  of  the 

jecture  and  several  theories  may  be  advanced 
and  their  values  considered.  The  first  question 
when  such  a  discovery  is  made,  is  whether  the 
living  animal  was  possibly  a  cave-dweller;  which, 
as  the  horse  was  not,  is  quickly  disposed  of  and 
attention  turned  to  the  next,  the  possibility  of  a 
carniverous  animal  having  carried  his  prey  into 
the  dark  recesses  of  the  cave  in  order  that  the 
enjoyment  of  his  dinner  might  be  undisturbed. 
This  theory  is  equally  unavaiiable  by  reason  of 
the  topographical  features  presented.  If  the 
present  natural  entrance  to  the  cave  were  the 
only  way  into  this  room  from  the  outside,  the 
distance  was  too  great  and  beset  with  many 
difficulties;  besides  which  the  final  passage  is 
too  small  to  admit  an  animal  of  sufficient  size  to 
carry  any  considerable  portion  of  even  a  very  small 
horse.  But  if  at  that  period  the  room  had 
direct  communication  with  the  outside  through 
an  opening  since  closed,  the  shape  of  the  walls 
indicate  that  it  must  have  been  a  pot-hole  in  the 
roof,  and  through  this  an  animal  could  have 
entered  by  falling,  which  the  horse  and  others 
may  have  done.  But  it  seems  most  probable 
that  the  remains  were  carried  in  by  the  water 
through  such  a  hole  before  it  was  closed  at  the 
beginning  of  the  Quaternary  period,  when  the 
erosion  of  the  Hills  was  most  active. 

Rainy    Chamber    also    contains    a    large     and 


Ozarks  and  Black  Hills.  201 

beautiful  assortment  of   the  small   polished  and 
coated  pebbles  called  cave  pearls. 

The  guide  being  anxious  that  we  should  not 
fail  to  see  the  Niagara  Room,  we  now  turned 
toward  a  low,  broad  opening  in  the  wall,  a  short 
distance  to  the  right  of  the  entrance,  where  the 
rising  floor  and  descending  ceiling,  failing  to 
meet,  had  overlapped;  so  we  made  our  way  up  a 
steep,  smooth  bank,  and  then  down  on  the  other 
side  over  a  broken,  rocky  surface  for  a  distance 
of  about  twenty  feet,  when  the  roof  at  last  joined 
the  floor  and  two  small  water-worn  holes  at  the 
point  of  junction  revealed  an  untempting  pass- 
age within.  The  broader  of  these  holes  was 
three  feet,  but  too  low  to  be  considered  an 
entrance;  the  other  was  round  but  certainly  not 
so  large  as  our  guide,  who  was  preparing  to  enter 
it  with  doubts  of  his  ability  to  make  the  trip,  on 
account  of  having  increased  in  £ize  since  his  one 
entrance  there,  on  which  occasion  two  smaller 
guides  pulled  him  through  the  tightest  places. 
Carefully  comparing  his  size  with  that  of  the 
hole  he  sat  beside,  there  was  no  possibility  of 
doubt  that  if  the  attempt  were  made  he  would 
stick  fast,  and  that  would  place  our  little  party 
in  dire  straits.  Consequently  I  insisted  that  it 
should  not  be,  but  he  was  unwilling  that  Niagara 
should  be  missed  when  so  near.  Finally  I  posi- 
tively refused  to  go  unless  he  would  consent  to 
give  us  instructions    and   remain    where    he   was 


202  Cave  Regions  of  the 

while  we  went  without  him,  to  which  he  at  last 
yielded  with  extreme  unwillingness.  He  had 
frequently  shown  us  the  guide's  marks,  and  now 
earnestly  cautioned  me  to  advance  only  as  they 
point,  and  turn  back  if  they  should  fail. 

The  small  nephew  went  on  a  reconnoitering 
expedition  to  the  end  of  the  passage,  and 
reported  that  the  jump-off  there  was  higher  than 
himself  but  he  could  get  down.  I  now  crawled 
through  the  hole  and  found  the  passage  to  be  a 
"  crawl  "  or  rather  a  "  sprawl,"  from  fifteen  to 
eighteen  inches  high,  but  having  an  ample  width 
varying  from  three  to  six  feet.  The  smooth, 
straight  floor  has  a  steep  downward  inclination 
and  is  thickly  covered  with  dust. 

Having  reached  the  widest  portion,  which  is 
near  the  end,  Herbert  directed  me  to  turn,  so  as 
to  come  down  the  jump-off  feet  first,  where 
there  was  a  little  difficulty  in  landing,  as  the 
perpendicular  wall,  which  proved  to  be  almost 
five  feet  high,  offered  only  one  projecting 
help,  and  that  within  a  few  inches  of  the 
base;  but  in  obedience  to  his  advice  to  *  'reach 
one  foot  a  little  farther  down  and  then  drop," 
I  advanced  the  right  one,  to  be  told  not  that, 
but  the  other,  and  was  soon  down  where  it  was 
possible  to  observe  with  interest  that  the  right 
foot  had  been  swinging  above  an  open  fissure. 
We  stood  in  a  wide  crevice  running  at  right 
angles    to  the  obnoxious  passage  we  had  just 


Ozarks  and  Black  Hills.  203 

quit,  and  immediately  found  a  guide's  mark  on 
a  large  rock,  and  others  followed  at  intervals  of 
a  few  feet  over  extremely  '-rough  country"  as 
the  guides  say.  Everywhere  the  work  of  water 
was  apparent,  not  in  the  crystal  deposits  of 
still  water  as  in  other  portions  of  the  cave,  but 
the  erosion  due  to  its  rushing  through.  Care- 
fully following  the  marks,  they  led  into  a 
cross-crevice  that  took  us  under  Rainy  Chamber, 
and  ends  there  by  widening  into  a  circular 
chamber  of  about  fifty  feet  width  in  either 
direction,  and  rising  to  a  height  of  nearly  fifty 
feet  in  a  fine  dome.  Down  the  wall  from  near 
the  top  of  the  dome  there  appears  to  flow  a 
beautiful  waterfall  showing  a  variety  of  colors 
in  the  straight  lines,  as  if  from  refraction.  The 
fall  is,  of  course,  dripstone,  and  I  knew  we  had 
found  Niagara,  although  we  had  gone  beyond 
the  reach  of  the  guide's  voice  almost  at  the 
start.  A  huge  rock  directly  under  the  dome 
has  received  the  falling  drip  until  it  represents 
a  mountain  cataract.  These  deposits  testify  to 
the  great  age  of  the  chamber  they  adorn,  as  they 
were  necessarily  not  commenced  until  all  heavy 
How  ceased,  and  in  Crystal  Cave  the  accumula- 
tion of  dripstone  is  so  slow  that  it  is  said  six 
years'  observation  can  detect  no  increase  what- 
ever. 

Several  small  passages  at  the  tloor  level   gave 
exit  to  the  great  volume  of  water  that  evidently 


204  Cave  Regions  of  the 

at  one  time  entered  this  crevice,  from  Rainy 
Chamber,  by  the  route  we  followed,  and  being 
checked  in  its  course  the  lower  end  of  the  crevice 
became  filled,  under  pressure;  and  the  low 
position  of  the  outlets  gave  this  water  a  whirling 
motion  that  in  time  excavated  the  dome-shaped 
room. 

No  part  of  Crystal  Cave  has  ever  been  occupied 
by  a  river,  but  its  fissures,  opened  by  the  viol- 
ence of  earth  movements  accompanying  nearby 
volcanic  disturbances,  have  been  filled  more  than 
once  by  the  inrush  of  waters  which  repeatedly 
submerged  the  whole  Black  Hills  region. 

Following  again  the  marks  which  guided  us 
into  Niagara  Room,  we  soon  came  within  hailing 
distance  of  a  voice  expressive  of  profound  relief; 
and  as  we  crawled  up  the  sloping  passage, 
over-heated  and  breathless  with  the  exertion, 
the  guide  assured  us  he  was  most  truly  thankful 
to  see  us  again,  as  he  had  never  in  his  life  ex- 
perienced so  severe  a  scare  as  since  it  had 
occurred  to  him  that  we  had  gone  beyond  the 
limits  of  communication  without  a  single  match. 

He  also  said  I  had  been  where  no  lady  had 
ever  gone  before,  and  took  satisfaction  in  the 
fact  that  many  men  have  refused  to  make  the 
venture  with  a  guide. 

Leaving  this  portion  of  the  cave,  by  returning 
as  we  came,  through  Suicide  Room,  Starr 
Chamber,     and    Senate    Chamber,    we   crawled 


Ozarks  and  Black  Hills.  205 

along  the  rocks  overhanging  a  narrow  fissure,  to 
reach  a  ladder  at  the  end,  by  which  we  descended 
to  another  part  of  the  Catacombs.  Here,  after 
traveling  a  long  distance  over  uneven  floors 
covered  with  sharp  crystals,  as  were  all  surfaces, 
through  large,  low  rooms,  and  narrow,  crooked 
passages,  constantly  assisting  the  difficult  ad- 
vance with  our  hands,  like  monkeys,  we  finally 
came  to  The  Grotto,  which  is  probably  the  most 
remarkable  room  in  this  very  remarkable  cave. 
It  is  a  large  room,  with  much  of  the  irregular 
ceiling  so  low  that  even  the  small  nephew  struck 
his  head  severely  while  turning  to  warn  me,  as 
he  often  did,  of  threatening  inequalities  in  the 
floor  and  light  them  with  his  own  candle.  The 
crystals  here  are  exceptionally  fine,  being  very 
sharp  and  of  unusual  size,  besides  many  of  them 
being  double — that  is,,  pointed  at  both  ends. 
Through  this  beautiful  ceiling  there  is  a  per- 
colating drip  adding  stalactites  to  the  crystal- 
points  and  piling  stalagmites  on  the  crystal  masses 
below,  varying  this  with  imitation  cascades, 
mats  of  small  flowers,  and  masses  of  pop-corn. 
Off  to  one  side  in  a  kind  of  recess  there  is  a 
depression  in  the  crystal  floor  filled  with  clear, 
cold  water. 

A  glance  at  the  time  now  showed  us  to  be  in 
danger  of  failure  to  meet  the  train  to  town,  and 
consequently,  tired  as  we  were  after  nine  hours 
of    rough    travel    and   much    climbing,    it    was 


206  Cave  Regions  of  the 

necessary  to  make  our  way  out  with  more  speed 
than  comfort,  and  we  found  the  weather  turning 
very  cold.  The  cave  was  carefully  locked, 
preparations  for  the  train  hurriedly  made,  the 
house  closed,  and  as  we  left  it  the  train  could  be 
heard  coming  down  the  canon,  but  we  arrived 
at  the  station  first,  though  breathlesss,  and  a  few 
minutes  later  were  in  Piedmont,  too  tired  to 
properly  enjoy  a  hot  venison  supper. 

As  to  the  size  of  Crystal  Cave,  it  is  impossible 
to  make  any  positive  statement;  for  as  Mr. 
McBride,  the  proprietor,  says,  no  survey  has 
yet  been  made.  Other  persons  said  that  thirty- 
six  miles  is  the  greatest  claim  made  for  the 
combined  length  of  all  passsages,  and  sixteen 
miles  the  least,  so  it  may  be  wise  to  accept  the 
lesser  number  until  a  survey  proves  it  wrong. 

The  box  work  in  Crystal  Cave  is  not  of  such 
great  abundance  as  to  demand  special  attention, 
but  is  very  beautiful,  and  one  variety  deserves 
particular  mention.  These  boxes  have  been 
formed  in  dark  red  sandstone,  and  after  being 
emptied  of  their  original  contents,  have  been 
completely  filled  with  colorless  calcite  crystals, 
and  over  this  is  spread  an  outer  surface  of  the 
same  crystals  tinted  a  brilliant  flame  color  by 
red  paint-clay  having  been  taken  in  solution  by 
the  crystal  forming  waters.  A  specimen  of  this 
was  a  temptation  too  great  to  be  resisted  even  in 
the    owner's  absence. 


Ozarks  and  Black  Hills.  207 

Some  of  the  box  work  is  of  such  size  that  a 
single  box  may  have  a  capacity  equal  to  that 
of  a  bushel  measure,  but  it  is  less  beautiful  than 
the  smaller  forms. 

On  the  following  morning  we  left  Piedmont, 
and  having  a  desire  for  greater  personal  knowl- 
edge of  the  Hills,  took  the  same  train  which  had 
taken  us  to  the  cave,  and  traveled  to  its  western 
terminus,  Lead  City.  The  interesting  scenery 
makes  this  a  desirable  trip  for  any  one  visiting 
the  Hills,  but  its  beauty  is  chiefly  massed  at  the 
ends,  the  middle  distance  being  over  gradually 
rising  ground,  which  is  without  a  counterpart 
of  the  rocky  canon  left  behind  or  more  than  a 
suggestion  of  the  high  hills  yet  to  come.  The 
special  charm  of  this  portion  was  the  magnificent 
pine  forest  which  covered  it  until  three  years 
ago,  when  it  was  swept  by  a  terrible  fire,  from 
which  the  settlers  escaped  with  only  their  lives; 
and  even  that  would  have  been  impossible  if  the 
railroad  company  had  not  kept  refuge  trains 
waiting  for  them  just  ahead  of  the  flames.  The 
prominent  geological  feature  here  is  the  por- 
phyry dikes,  which  are  becoming  more  numerous 
and  more  prominent,  and  in  many  places  resem- 
ble a  conspicuous  group  near  Harney  Peak, 
called  The  Needles.  These  dykes  are  of  special 
interest  in  connection  with  a  study  of  the  caves, 
since  they  are  probably  of  simultaneous  origin. 

The  same  volcanic  movements  that  caused  the 


208  Cave  Regions  of  the 

violent  upheaval  of  the  whole  region,  and  thrust 
up  molten  masses  through  the  strata  to  form  a 
central  core  to  the  Hills,  must  also  have  rent 
the  nearby  regions  with  fissures  through  which 
probably  much  gas  escaped,  and  having  been 
further  opened  and  then  adorned,  now  demand 
our  attention  as  eaves  of  unique  and  curious 
beauty. 

The  approach  to  Lead  is  over  the  hill-tops 
with  a  magnificent  distant  view,  and  the  first 
glimpses  of  that  young  city  famous  for  having 
as  a  center  the  Homestakemine,  the  largest  gold 
mine  in  the  world,  are  charming.  It  is  situated 
far  down  in  a  valley  among  the  high  hills  and 
spreads  some  distance  up  the  surrounding 
slopes. 

The  works  of  the  great  mine  are  wonderful, 
and  visitors  welcome  to  examine  whatever  they 
find  interesting;  any  questions  they  wish  to  ask 
are  graciously  answered,  although  every  one  is 
busy.  This  is  not  a  special  favor  to  the  excep- 
tional few,  but  the  courtesy  shown  to  all.  Visi- 
tors are  also  welcome  to  descend  into  the  mine, 
but  as  an  attendant  is  necessary  on  account  of 
dangers  to  be  avoided,  a  permit  must  be  obtained 
at  the  office. 

Several  other  caves  have  been  discovered  in 
the  Black  Hills,  the  largest  of  which  is  the 
Davenport  Cave  at  Sturgis.  Very  little  explo- 
ration has  yet  been  done  in  it,    but   indications 


Ozarks  and  Black  Jlills.  209 

are  said  to  be  that    it   will  take  rank  among  the 
large    ones. 

At  Galena,  a  new  mining  town  of  golden  prom- 
ise, there  is  reported  to  be  an  lee  Cave,  where  ice 
forms  at  all  seasons,  and  during  the  warm 
weather  is  a  source  of  comfort  and  pleasure  to 
the  miners. 

In  the  evening,  as  train  time  for  continuing 
the  homeward  journey  approached,  the  snow 
storm  which  began  gently  early  in  the  afternoon, 
grew  steadily  more  severe.  A  carriage  to  the 
depot  was  not  to  be  had,  as  every  vehicle  in 
town  had  gone  to  the  funeral  of  an  old-timer  in 
the  Hills  and  the  return  delayed  by  the  storm. 
The  situation  could  not  be  regarded  as  a  special 
pleasure,  but  cave  hunters  learn  to  accept  what- 
ever is  and  be  thankful  for  the  general  average. 
At  the  last  moment,  however,  a  team  was  driven 
up  and  permission  given  us  to  make  use  of  it. 
It  proved  to  be  the  private  conveyance  of  the 
hotel  proprietor,  and  the  young  boy  who  accom- 
panied us,  his  son. 

Our  train  was  on  time,  and  the  ride  through 
the  Hills  to  their  southern  limit,  in  the  falling 
snow,  was  wonderfully  beautiful :  but  the  storm 
continued  for  many  days  and  was  one  of  the 
most  severe  on  record. 

Those  persons  who  have  been  so  unfortunate 
as  to  permit  themselves  to  accept  a  ready  made 
opinion    of   dangers   and    roughness  to    be  met 


210  Cave  Regions. 

with  in  the  more  newly  settled  regions,  might 
find  a  tour  of  the  Hills  doubly  interesting  by 
making  a  supplementary  study  of  "The  Living 
Age,"  which  cannot  be  so  correctly  viewed  from 
a  distance  as  is  sometimes  supposed,  since  the 
specimens  exhibited  are  not  always  a  true  aver- 
age of  the  strata  they  are  supposed  to  represent. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

CONCLUSION. 

After  a  visit  to  the  marvelous  caverns  of  the 
Black  Hills,  much  may  be  added  to  the  pleasure 
already  enjoyed,  through  the  explanatory  activ- 
ity of  the  Yellowstone  National  Park,  where 
even  the  wonderful  combinations  of  beauty  and 
grandeur  are  by  no  means  the  full  measure  of 
attraction  and  charm.  Here  is  found  evidence 
to  verify  theories  concerning  the  caves,  and 
those  theories  in  turn  contribute  in  no  small 
degree  to  a  satisfactory  understanding  of  the 
mysteries  of  geyser  action.  For  scientific  study 
the  two  regions  should  be  taken  together,  since 
the  natural  conditions  are  practically  the  same, 
and  the  chief  difference  lies  in  the  stages  of 
development ;  the  present  of  the  Park  explaining 
the  recent  past  of  the  Hills,  while  the  present  of 
the  Hills  foretells  the  future  of  the  Park.  It 
seems  that  Nature,  with  a  full  appreciation  of 
the  limits  and  restrictions  binding  our  powers 
to  penetrate  certain  secrets  of  an  intermittent 
force,  has  in  this  great  western  country  care- 
fully prepared  what  might  quite  properly  be 
termed  a  progressive  course  of  study,   wherein 

m 


212  Cave  Regions  of  the 

each  locality  makes   plain   a  special  point  that 
somewhere  else  appears  obscure. 

As  has  been  said  in  the  preceding  chapters, 
the  two  great  caves  in  the  Black  Hills  of  South 
Dakota  cannot  be  accounted  for  by  the  same 
methods  as  are  recognized  as  being  responsible 
for  the  slow  excavation  of  the  best  known  caves 
of  the  United  States.  Although  there  is  every 
indication  that  both  these  caves  have  been  sub- 
ject to  the  action  of  enormous  volumes  of  water, 
there  is  equally  positive  evidence  that  neither 
was  ever  the  scene  of  a  flowing  cave-river. 
The  lowest  levels  in  both  show  the  narrowest 
fissures  and  the  heaviest  deposits  of  crystal,  by 
which  we  infer  that  the  water  was  held  in  con- 
finement here,  while  all  the  higher  passages  or 
channels  bear  witness  to  the  water's  flow.  But 
many  of  these  channels  in  Crystal  Cave,  or 
indeed'  we  might  say,  most  of  them,  present  an 
unmistakable  record  of  the  gauge  of  the  water 
stage  at  different  periods.  During  the  earlier 
time,  when  the  volume  of  water  and  consequent 
pressure  were  greatest,  frictional  motion  must 
have  been  limited  to  the  main  channel  connect- 
ing with  the  vent,  and  the  high  gauge  of  water 
maintained  a  fairly  uniform  degree  of  heat  near 
its  surface.  In  consequence  of  these  conditions 
geyser  action,  probably,  was  constant,  and  chem- 
ical activity  was  such  that  great  chambers  were 
formed  and  then  decorated,  as  already  described, 


Ozarks  and  Black  Hills.  213 

with  wonderful  masses  of  crystal.  As  the  water 
gauge  receded  to  lower  levels  the  higher 
chambers  became  storage  basins  for  water  and 
steam  forced  up  by  the  pressure  from  below,  and 
the  time  required  for  these  to  fill  and  accumulate 
sufficient  pressure  to  continue  the  ejectment, 
formed  the  periods  between  eruptions  after  the 
geyser  became  intermittent.  It  was  during  this 
stage  that  the  sharp  crystals  in  many  of  the  chan- 
nels, now  called  passages,  were  worn  down  to 
smooth  surfaces;  and  later,  when  water  occupied 
only  the  lowest  level,  and  the  great  geyser  had 
become  reduced  to  merely  a  steam  vent,  the 
channels  immediately  connecting  with  that  level 
were  in  their  turn  subjected  to  the  same  smooth- 
ing process,  and  then  all  action  ceased. 

As  no  two  of  the  glorious  geysers  of  the 
Yellowstone  Park  are  alike,  neither  do  the  two 
great  caves  of  the  Hills  indicate  that  they  should 
be  so.  The  vent-tubing  of  each  is  quite  unlike 
that  of  the  other  in  all  the  essential  governing 
points  of  length,  size,  shape,  angle  of  inclination 
and  power- conserving  bends.  And  the  differ- 
ences extend  in  an  almost  equally  marked 
degree  throughout  the  vast  and  complicated  suc- 
cession of  storage  chambers  and  their  connect- 
ing channels.  The  small  vent  of  Wind  Cave 
shows  that  the  ejected  jet  was  far  from  being 
equal  to  that  of  the  Crystal  Cave  in  volume ; 
but   the  nearly    perpendicular  long  arm   of  its 


214  Cave  It  eg  ions  of  the 

tube  shows  also  that  its  jet  attained  a  much 
greater  height,  even  supposing  that  it  should  be 
necessary  to  make  some  allowance  for  a  short 
elbow  at  the  top. 

Dr.  Hayden's  geological  party  gave  much 
attention  to  the  Yellowstone  Park  while  its  won- 
ders were  new  to  the  world,  and  observations 
were  made  at  various  times  during  the  period 
included  between  the  years  1869  and  1870.  The 
special  study,  and  full  report  of  the  geysers 
became  the  duty  of  Dr.  A.  C.  Peal,  whose 
descriptions  and  conclusions  were  published  in 
U.  S.  Geological  Survey  Report,  1878,  Part  II. 
In  the  final  pages  of  his  report  he  quotes  the 
leading  authorities  on  geyser  action,  and  applies 
the  principles  of  their  theories,  according  to 
his  own  judgment,  to  the  geysers  of  the  park. 
Since  copies  of  this  report  are  not  now  easily 
obtained,  nor  even  always  accessible  to  the 
increasing  number  of  personages  who  visit  the 
park,  it  may  be  well  to  quote  from  him  some  of 
the  theories  he  discussed  and  the  opinions 
he  expressed.  On  page  416,  beginning  the  chap- 
ter with  the  derivation  of  the  word  geyser  from 
the  Icelandic  word  geysa — to  gush,  he  continues  : 

"  We  now  come  to  the  definition  of  a  geyser. 
It  may  be  defined  to  be  a  periodically  eruptive 
or  intermittent  hot  spring,  from  which  the  water 
is  projected  into  the  air  in  a  fountain-like 
column.     The  analogy  between  geysers  and  vol- 


Ozarks  and  Black  Hills.  215 

canoes  has  frequently  been  noticed  and  the 
former  have  often  been  described  as  volcanoes 
which  erupt  heated  water  instead  of  melted 
lava.  We  have  italicized  the  word  hot  in  the 
definition  just  given,  because  springs  containing 
a  large  amount  of  gas  may  simulate  geysers. 

11  The  difference  between  geysers  and  ordinary 
hot  springs  is  not  readily  explained,  nor  even 
always  recognized.  The  difference  between  a 
quiet  thermal  spring  and  a  geyser  in  active 
eruption  is  very  marked,  but  between  the  two 
there  is  every  grade  of  action.  Some  geysers 
appear  as  quiet  springs,  as  for  instance  the  Grand 
Geyser  during  its  period  of  quiescence.  Others 
might  easily  be  mistaken  for  constantly  boiling 
springs,  as  in  the  case  of  the  Giant  Geyser,  in 
which  the  water  is  constantly  in  active  ebulli- 
tion. This  is  true  also  of  the  Strockr  of  Iceland. 
Many  of  the  springs,  therefore,  that  in  the  Yel- 
lowstone Park  have  been  classed  as  constantly 
boiling  springs  may  be  unsuspected  geysers. 
The  Excelsior  Geyser  was  not  discovered  to  be  a 
geyser  until  eight  years  after  the  setting  aside 
of  the  park.  Almost  all  constantly  boiling 
springs  have  periods  of  increased  activity,  and 
those  which  spurt  a  few  feet  into  the  air  have 
been  classed  as  pseudo-geysers. 

' '  It  has  been  noticed  that  geysers  occur  where 
the  intensity  of  volcanic  action  is  decreasing. 
In  the  neighborhood  of  active  volcanoes,  such  as 


216  Cave  Regions  of  the 

Vesuvius,  the  temperature  appears  to  be  too 
high,  and  the  vapor  escapes  as  steam  from  what 
are  called  stufas.  When  the  rocks  at  the  sur- 
face are  more  cooled  the  water  comes  forth  in 
liquid  form. 

"  We  will  now  pass  to  the  various  geyser  theo- 
ries that  have  been  proposed  by  different 
writers." 

Dr.  Peal  then  proceeds  to  give  the  theories  of 
Sir  J.  Herschell  and  Sir  George  McKenzie,  but 
as  they  are  accepted  and  extended  by  others, 
we  may  pass  on  to  Bischof  's,  of  which  Dr.  Peal 
says  :  "  Very  similar  to  McKenzie' s  theory  is  the 
one  adopted  by  Bischof  in  his  Researches  on 
the  Internal  Heat  of  the  Globe  (pages  227,  228). 
It  is  really  the  theory  of  Krug  Von  Nidda, 
who  examined  the  geyser  in  1833.  Bischof 
says  : 

"  'He  (Krug  Von  Nidda)  takes  it  for  granted 
that  these  hot  springs  derive  their  temperature 
from  the  aqueous  vapors  rising  from  below. 
When  these  vapors  are  able  to  rise  freely  in  a 
continued  column  the  water  at  the  different 
depths  must  have  a  constant  temperature  equal  to 
that  at  which  water  would  boil  under  the  pressure 
existing  at  the  respective  depths;  hence  the 
constant  ebullition  of  the  permanent  springs 
and  their  boiling  heat.  If,  on  the  other  hand, 
the  vapors  be  prevented  by  the  complicated 
windings  of  its  channels  from  rising  to  the  but- 


Ozarks  and  Black  Hills.  217 

face;  if,  for  example,  they  be  arrested  in  cav- 
erns, the  temperature  in  the  upper  layers  of 
water  must  necessarily  become  reduced,  because 
a  large  quantity  of  it  is  lost  by  evaporation  at 
the  surface,  which  cannot  be  replaced  from  be- 
low. And  any  circulation  of  the  layers  of  wa- 
ter at  different  temperatures,  by  reason  of  their 
unequal  specific  gravities,  seems  to  be  very  much 
interrupted  by  the  narrowness  and  sinuousity  of 
the  passage.  The  intermitting  springs  of  Ice- 
land are  probably  caused  by  the  existence  of 
caverns,  in  which  the  vapor  is  retained  by  the 
pressure  of  the  column  of  water  in  the  channel 
which  leads  to  the  surface.  Here  this  vapor 
collects,  and  presses  the  water  in  the  cavern 
downward  until  its  elastic  force  becomes  suffi- 
ciently great  to  effect  a  passage  through  the 
column  of  water  which  confines  it.  The  violent 
escape  of  the  vapor  causes  the  thunder-like  sub- 
terranean sound  and  the  trembling  of  the  earth 
which  precedes  each  eruption.  The  vapors  do 
not  appear  at  the  surface  until  they  have  heated 
the  water  to  their  own  temperature. 

" 'When  so  much  vapor  has  escaped  that  the 
expansive  force  of  that  which  remains  has  be- 
come less  than  the  pressure  of  the  confining 
column  of  water,  tranquilit}"  is  restored,  and 
this  lasts  until  such  a  quantity  of  vapor  is  again 
collected  as  to  produce  a  fresh  eruption.  The 
spouting  of  the    spring   is   therefore  repeated  at 


218  Cave  Regions  of  the 

intervals,  depending  on  the  capacity  of  the  cav- 
ern, the  height  of  the  column  of  water,  and  the 
heat  generated  below.' !      Dr.  Peal  continues: 

M  Bishof  says  that  the  eruptions  of  the  Geyser 
and  Strockr  agree  exactly  with  this  explanation 
and  he  accounts  for  the  two  distinct  classes  of 
eruption  observed  in  the  Geyser  as  follows  : 

11  'The  two  distinct  classes  of  eruption  in  the 
geyser  which  we  have  already  mentioned  seem 
to  be  attributable  to  two  different  cavities.  A 
small  cavity  fills  quicker,  and,  therefore,  empties 
itself  more  frequently;  a  larger  one  fills  slower, 
empties  itself  seldomer,  but  with  'greater  vio- 
lence.' " 

Bunsen's  theory  is  the  next  considered  and  is 
somewht  similar  to  Bischof's  but  with  notable 
differences.  After  taking  temperatures  at 
different  points  in  the  Geyser  tube  his  first  con- 
clusions are  that : 

(1)  The  temperature  in  the  geyser  tube  in- 
creases as  we  descend. 

(2)  At  no  point  does  the  water  in  the  tube 
attain  the  temperature  of  ebullition  which  it 
should  have  under  the  pressure  to  which  it  is 
subjected,  but  the  temperature  depends  on  the 
time  that  has  elapsed  since  the  last  eruption. 
As  a  great  eruption  comes  near  it  approaches 
the  boiling  point. 

(3)  At  the  depth  of  about  forty-five  feet  the 
difference  between  the  temperature  of  the  water 


Ozarks  and  Black  Hills.  219 

and  the  calculated   boiling   point   for   that  pres- 
sure is  the  least. 

The  main  point  of  his  theory  appears  to  be 
that  an  eruption  takes  place  when  the  water  in 
the  tube  reaches  the  boiling  point,  and  to  ac- 
count for  it,  "He  supposes  that  the  column  in 
the  central  tube  communicates  by  a  long  and 
sinuous  channel  with  some  space,  be  it  what  it 
may,  which  is  subjected  to  the  action  of  the 
direct  source  of  subterranean  heat.  The  tem- 
perature gets  raised  above  the  boiling  point, 
due  to  the  pressure,  and  a  sudden  generation  of 
steam  is  the  result.  This  steam  rises  in  the  col- 
umn of  water,  which,  being  cooler,  causes  it  to 
condense.  Gradually  the  heat  of  the  water  is 
raised  until  the  water  of  the  channel  must  boil, 
and  the  steam  therefore  cannot  condense,  but 
must  accumulate  and  acquire  a  gradually  in- 
creasing tension.  The  condensation  of  the 
bubbles  possesses  a  periodic  character,  and  to 
this  is  due  the  uplifting  of  the  water  in  what 
Bunsen  calls  conical  water  hills,  which  are 
accompanied  by   the  subterranean   explosions." 

Prof.  Comstock  is  quoted  as  thinking  -'Bun- 
sen's  theory  has  not  yet  been  proved  adequate 
to  explain  the  more  prominent  features  of  gey- 
ser eruptions.  Nor  does  it,  in  his  opinion, 
account  for  all  the  differences  between  geysers 
and  hot  springs,  and    he    proposes    a    structural 


220  Cave  Regions  of  the 

hypothesis  which  combines  Bischof's  and  Bun- 
sen's  theories." 

This  hypothesis  is  illustrated  by  a  figure  in 
which  a  reservoir  partly  filled  with  water  is  con- 
nected with  the  surface  by  a  tube  having  a 
double  curve,  and  he  explains  that  the  water 
collecting  in  the  depressed  curve  should  confine 
the  steam,  rising  from  the  reservoir  in  the  other 
curve  until  the  pressure  is  sufficient  to  cause  an 
eruption.  His  theory  of  action  being  that  the 
water  in  the  reservoir  remains  in  equilibrium  at 
a  certain  level,  and  the  constant  heat  fills  the 
space  above  with  vapor,  which  heats  the  water 
held  in  the  downward  bend  of  the  tube,  and 
that  also  evolves  vapor  which  fills  the  balance 
of  the  tube  to  the  vent.  When  the  combined 
pressure  of  this  vapor  and  water  are  overcome 
by  the  expansion  of  vapor  accumulated  above 
the  reservoir,  they  are  forced  out,  and  followed 
by  a  portion  of  the  water  of  the  reservoir.  This 
theory  is  in  the  report  of  Captain  Jones  on 
Northwestern  Wyoming. 

The  last  theory  cited  by  Dr.  Peal  is  that  of  S. 
Baring-Gould,  uWho  visited  the  Iceland  ge3^sers 
in  1863,  and  thinks  that  a  bent  tube  is  sufficient 
to  explain  the  action  of  the  Great  Geyser.  He 
took  an  iron  tube  and  bent  it  in  an  angle  of  110c, 
keeping  one  arm  half  the  length  of  the  other. 
He  filled  the  tube  with  water  and  placed  the 
short  arm  in  the  fire.     Fur  '\  moment  the  surface 


Ozarks  and  Black  Hills.  221 

of  the  liquid  remained  quiet,  and  then  the  pipe 
began  to  quiver;  a  slight  overflow  took  place, 
without  any  sign  of  ebullition,  and  then  sudden- 
ly, with  a  throb,  the  whole  column  was  forced 
high  into  the  air.  With  a  tube,  the  long  arm 
of  which  measured  two  feet  and  the  bore  of 
which  was  three-eighths  of  an  inch,  he  sent  a 
jet  to  the  height  of  eighteen  feet.  Steam  is 
generated  in  the  short  arm  and  presses  down  the 
water,  causing  an  overflow  until  the  steam 
bubble  tarns  the  angle,  when  it  forces  out  the 
column  in  the  long  arm  with  incredible  vio- 
lence." 

Dr.  Peal  now  goes  on  to  say : 

"  Of  the  theories  that  we  have  just  enumera- 
ted, perhaps  no  one  is  adequate  to  explain  all 
the  phenomena  of  geyser  action.  Bunsen's 
theory  comes  nearest  to  it,  and  in  the  simplest 
kinds  of  geysers  is  a  sufficient  explanation. 
The  variations  and  modifications  in  the  geyser 
tubes  and  subterranean  water  passages  must 
undoubtedly  be  important  factors  entering  into 
any  complete  explanation  of  geyser  action. 
Now,  of  course,  we  can  see  what  the  conditions 
are  at  the  surface,  but  in  our  experiments 
we  can  penetrate  to  a  very  inconsiderable  dis- 
tance. We  have,  therefore,  no  data  to  present 
on  these  points,  and  investigations  of  this 
branch  of  the  subject  will  have  to  be  carried  on 
in  an  artificial  manner ;  that  is  artificial  geysers 


222  Cave  Regions  of  the 

will  have  to  be  constructed,  and  various  modi- 
fications made  in  the  tubes  until  results  are 
reached  analogous  to  those  seen  in  natural  gey- 
sers. If  water  in  a  glass  tube  be  heated  with 
rapidity  from  the  bottom,  it  will  be  expelled 
from  the  tube  violently,  and  if  boiled  in  a  ket- 
tle which  has  a  lid  and  a  spout,  either  the  lid 
will  be  blown  off  or  the  water  will  be  forced  out 
through  the  spout.  The  first  case  is  an  illus- 
tration, in  part  at  least,  of  Bunsen's  theory, 
and  the  second  exemplifies  the  theories  which 
presuppose  the  existence  of  subterranean  cavi- 
ties with  tubes  at  or  near  the  surface.  Accord- 
ing to  the  former  we  must  suppose  that  the 
layer  of  rock,  extending  seventy-five  to 
seventy-seven  feet  below  the  surface,  contains 
sufficient  heat  to  account  for  geyseric  phenom- 
ena; or  else  that  the  geyser  tube  has  some  open- 
ing, either  at  the  bottom  or  on  the  sides,  by 
which  steam  and  superheated  water  have  access 
to  it  from  a  considerably  greater  depth  where 
the  temperature  is  very  high.  At  these  depths 
caverns    probably  exist."         *         *         *         * 

"That  such  cavities  exist  is  more  than  proba- 
ble. On  page  405  I  have  indicated  my  belief, 
that  all  geysers  are  originally  due  to  a  violent 
outburst  of  steam  and  water,  and  under  such 
conditions,  irregular  cavities  and  passages  are 
more  likely  to  be  formed  than  regular  tubes."  *    * 

"  In  view  of  what  we  have  just  written,   Bun- 


Ozarks  and  Black  Hills.  228 

sen's  conclusion  (No.  2)  would  have  to  be  mod- 
ified somewhat.  His  conclusion  was  that  at  no 
point  in  the  tube  did  the  water  attain  the  tem- 
perature of  ebullition  which  it  should  have  un- 
der the  pressure  to  which  it  is  subjected.  As 
far  as  this  relates  to  the  straight  tube  in  which 
his  temperatures  were  taken,  it  may  be  so;  but 
if  he  could  have  taken  temperatures  in  the  side 
conduit,  I  have  little  doubt  he  would  soon  have 
reached  a  point  where  the  temperature  would 
not  only  be  at  the  boiling  point  for  that  depth 
but  even  exceed  it.  In  the  Yellowstone  Park 
we  obtained  a  number  of  surface  temperatures 
which  were  above  the  boiling  point.  In  the 
Great  Geyser  of  Iceland,  the  mass  of  water  in 
the  tube  prevents  this  condition  at  the  surface, 
and  when  it  takes  p'ace  opposite  the  aperture 
an  eruption  is  caused.  In  the  main,  however,  I 
am  inclined  to  accept  Bunsen's  theory,  espe- 
cially as  it  seems  to  me  to  require  subterranean 
cavities  in  which  the  water  must  be  heated. 
Whether  these  are  caverns,  enlargements  of 
tubes,  or  sinus  channels,  appears  to  me  to  be  of 
no  consequence,  except  as  the  interval  or  period 
of  the  geyser  might  be  affected  by  the  form  of 
the  reservoir  holding  the  water.'' 

Dr.  Peal  has  reached  conclusions  which  pre- 
sent an  imaginary  picture  of  the  interior  struct- 
ure of  the  great  geysers  of  the  Park,  that  bears 
a  striking  resemblance  to  what   the  two  caves  of 


224  Cave  Regions  of  the 

the  Black  Hills  prove  to  be  the  true  conditions; 
although  it  is  evident  he  had  in  mind  caverns 
of  no  such  vast  extent,  nor  of  so  complicated  a 
system  of  cavities  and  tubes.  He  overlooked  an 
important  feature,  however,  in  not  accepting 
Professor  Comstock's  idea  of  the  tube  having  a 
double  curve.  The  double  curve  is,  or  was, 
conspicuous  in  both  the  caves.  Unfortunately, 
its  perfection  in  Wind  Cave  was  necessarily  par- 
tially sacrificed  to  make  the  passage  traversable 
for  visitors;  but  in  describing  the  enormous 
labor  of  opening  up  the  cave,  Mr.  McDonald 
showed  how  an  arching  "crawl"  had  been 
worked  down  by  blasting,  and  the  depression  be- 
yond filled  to  raise  it  to  the  desired  level  for 
securing  the  present  easy  passage  at  the  bot- 
tom of  the  main  tube,  which  is  the  entrance 
passage.  This  double  curve  in  the  tube  is  sim- 
ply the  rough  original  of  the  S  trap  of  sanitary 
plumbing.  In  both  caves  it  is  somewhat  irreg- 
ular and  deformed,  but  the  familiar  "trap"  is 
easily  recognized.  The  destruction  of  one  of 
the  Yellowstone  geysers  was,  no  doubt, 
due  to  the  breaking  of  the  S.  One  of  the  many 
reasons  for  establishing  military  control  over 
the  Park  is  said  to  have  been  the  disastrous 
results  following  the  introduction  of  a  large 
quantity  of  soap  into  the  geyser  to  cause  a  pre- 
mature eruption.  TI13  impatience  of  the  party 
was  rewarded  by  an   eruption   accompanied  by 


Ozarks  and  Black  Hills.  225 

explosions  that  shook  the  earth  for  a  great  dis- 
tance, and  the  geyser  has  not  been  seen  in  ac- 
tion since. 

Dr.  Peal  finds  the  theories  advanced  for  the 
generation  of  steam  unsatisfactory  and  insuffi1 
cient,  especially  in  the  class  of  geysers  having 
a  long  steam  period.     He  says:    (page  423) 

u  The  Castle  Geyser  differs  from  Old  Faith- 
ful and  the  Bee  Hive  mainly  in  the  fact  that  it 
has  a  long  steam  period,  during  which  the 
steam  pours  out  or  is  pushed  from  the  geyser 
throat  with  great  violence  and  a  terrific 
noise.  There  appear  to  be  only  two  possible 
explanations  of  this  difference,  viz.,  either  an 
accumulation  of  immense  volumes  of  steam  in 
the  Castle,  or  an  instantaneous  formation  of  steam 
throughout  the  length  of  the  geyser  tube.  The 
former,  to  our  mind,  is  untenable,  because  it 
seems  impossible  that  the  water,  which  is  ex- 
hausted in  fifteen  minutes,  should  exert  enough 
power  to  keep  down  the  immense  amount  of 
steam  that  escapes  for  more  than  an  hour.  Ac- 
cording to  Bunsen's  theory,  it  can  be  readily 
explained.  The  relief  afforded  by  the  first  part 
of  the  eruptions  allows  the  superheated  water 
to  rise  rapidly,  and  before  it  can  reach  the  top 
or  orifice  of  the  tube  it  is  all  converted  into 
steam  from  the  top  downward  with  inconceivable 
rapidity,  and  must  be  forced  out  with  the  terrific 
violence  which  is  noted  in  the  case  of  the  Castle. 


226  Cave  Regions  of  the 

On  page  208  we  have  expressed  the  opinion  that 
it  is  the  oldest  geyser  in  the  region,  and  it  seems 
to  us  that  a  greater  length  in   the  tube,    with  a 
consequent  greater  supply  of  water,  will  account 
for  the  difference  between  the  Castle    and   Old 
Faithful,   the  latter  of  which  we  consider  one  of 
the  youngest  geysers  in  the  Upper  Geyser  Basin . '  * 
A  study  of  the  Caves  in  connection   with  the 
active  Geysers  indicates  that  the  theory  he  sug- 
gests  and   then    rejects,    is   probably   the   true 
explanation  of  the  difference   between    the    two 
kinds  of  geysers.     It  seems  that  the  length  of 
the  tube  must  necessarily  have  more  effect  on 
the  height  of  the  jet  than  on  the   generation  of 
steam ;  as  after  an  eruption   the   tube  is    hotter 
than  at  any  other  time  and  therefore  the  gener- 
ation of  steam  in  it  should  be   less   than   usual, 
unless  the  fresh  inflow  of  water  was  cold.    Then 
if  the  storage  cavities    are   broad   but   low,    the 
steam  cannot  accumulate  above  the  water;  but 
when  the  pressure  becomes   sufficient  to  force  a 
passage  through  the  tube,  the  water  and  steam 
are    expelled    together    until    the    pressure   is 
exhausted.     But   if   the    storage  chambers   are 
vertical  fissures,  as  Wind  Cave  illustrates,   vast 
quantities  of  steam  must  accumulate  above  the 
water  level  in   the   main    reservoirs   before    the 
pressure    can    become    sufficient    to   expel   the 
water    in    the   tube,    after    which   steam  alone 
continues  to  rush  out  until  the    pressure  is   so 


Ozark*  and  Black  Hills.  227 

relieved  that  it  can  no  longer  force  a  passage 
through  the  water  remaining  in  the  trap,  when 
quiet  is  restored.  By  the  constant  addition  of 
fresh  water  from  the  surface,  by  percolation  or 
other  usual  ways  of  sinking,  the  necessary  con- 
ditions for  the  generation  of  steam  are  main- 
tained with  surprising  regularity. 

The  differences  in  the  shape  and  genera] 
arrangement  of  the  cavities  and  tubes  of  the 
two  caves,  indicate  that  their  action  as  geysers 
was  very  unlike.  Wind  Cave  evidently  sent  a 
rather  slender  column  to  a  great  height,  nearly 
perpendicular,  and  the  water  eruption  was 
followed  by  a  long  steam  period.  Crystal  Cave 
ejected  a  much  larger  jet  more  frequently,  at  a 
low  angle  of  inclination,  the  eruption  was  sooner 
over,  and  was  not  followed  by  a  steam  period  of 
any  consequence. 

Thus  it  can  be  seen  that  the  caves  of  the  Black 
Hills  prove  the  theories  in  regard  to  geyser 
action  in  Yellowstone  Park,  and  those  theories, 
in  turn,  prove  the  past  history  of  the  caves.  The 
study  of  geyser  action  also  shows  that  the  coni- 
cal or  dome  shape  of  some  of  the  cave  chambers 
is  not  due  to  the  whirl  of  incoming  floods,  as  in 
other  regions,  but  to  jets  of  water  forced  up 
from  lower  levels. 

Perhaps  the  finest  geyser  basin,  and  possible 
cave,  ever  in  existence  was  destroyed  when  the 
Grand  Canon  of  the  Yellowstone  became  a  canon. 


228  Cave  Regions. 

Evidences  of  the  former  conditions  in  control  of 
this  gorgeously  brilliant  scene  are  neither  want- 
ing nor  doubtful.  Steam  constantly  issues  from 
numerous  small  vents  in  the  canon  walls,  and  a 
field  glass  reveals  miniature  geysers  in  action 
down  in  the  depth  of  the  canon,  nearly  half  a 
mile  below  the  top  of  the  wall;  while  the  entire 
canon  shows,  in  both  the  color  and  character  of 
its  rocks,  that  chemical  agencies  have  wrought 
changes  here  that  have  not  been  effected  in  other 
exposures  of  similar  nature.  It  seems  not  im- 
probable that  the  relation  of  Yellowstone  River 
to  the  Grand  Canon  was  the  same  as,  at  the 
present  time,  is  that  of  the  Firehole  to  the  Upper, 
Middle,  and  Lower  Geyser  Basins:  and  that  an 
explosion  of  great  force  was  followed  by  a  gen 
eral  collapse  instead  of  the  usual  eruption  of 
one  of  the  grandest  geysers;  one  result  being  the 
sudden  precipitation  of  the  river  into  a  new, 
beautiful,  and  totally  unexpected  channel. 
After  its  great  leap  of  two  hundred  and  ninety- 
seven*  feet  at  the  Lower  Fall,  the  river  flows  in 
a  brilliant,  narrow  line  of  emerald  green,  broken 
by  the  white  foam  of  frequent  cascades,  between 
magnificent  walls  of  yellow,  white,  pink,  and 
red  of  most  vivid  hues. 

*  Measurement  by  the  Hayden  Party. 
THE    END. 


The  illustrations  for  this  volume  are  from  photographs  by  the 
following  artists: 

The  Views  of  Marble  Cave,  by  Stone  &  De  Groff,  Warrensburg, 
Missouri. 

The  Tower  of  Babel,  The  Chimes,  The  Knife  Blade, The  Needle, 
The  Bridal  Veil,  by  Meddaugh,  of  Leadville,  So.  Dakota. 

Top  of  Glacier,  by  L.  W.  Marble,  Wind  Cave,  So.  Dakota. 

White    Onyx    Masses,   Fairies'    Palace,  by    J.   W.    Pike,   Hot 
Springs,,  So.  Dakota. 

The  Wilderness  Pinery,  by  D.  Benton  Miller,  Alton.  Missouri. 

Approaching  Deadwood,  by   H.  B,  Locke  &  Co.,  Deadwood,  So. 
Dakota. 


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